A long time ago we put the word out that we were selling our house in a neighborhood that had a lot of houses up for sale. It looked like there was something wrong with the neighborhood, but it was just an explosion of individual opportunities -- new jobs, promotions with transfers, one baby too many for the house to accomodate.

It was a chatty, very friendly neighborhood, so immediately we had a several prospective realtors asking for the business. There was one gentleman I liked very much, but I worried that his soft sell wouldn't do the job in view of how many homes were available.

We met with another realtor, and I told him that he was in competition with someone whom I liked very much personally, though we had no personal relationship. "If you like him, buy him a shirt," he said, "but I can sell your house."

He got the job.

Susan Estrich has identified this sales pitch in the political arena. "George W. Bush? Nice guy. Buy him a gold watch and send him home. He did his bit. But right now, today, the country needs unity, and I'm the one to provide it." Now, if we could just have a candidate like that...

Oh, and btw, I owe you an apology for being so shirty with you a while ago on a different board. Please forgive me for my short temper.

Regards--
Mary Anne