By Martha Williams, El Paso, Texas
Reprinted from June 1989
I don’t know who made up that slogan ‘Let your fingers do the walking’ but whoever it was should be sentenced to hard labor in Siberia. You notice it most on days when you are short handed or over worked. The phone rings continually. In a typical day you have responded to twenty five, maybe fifty phone calls. No matter what city you live in or what size store you have, the questions are all the same; “How much do you charge to size a ring?” “What time do you open?” “What time do you close?” “How much to clean a watch?” “Is my job ready?” “Have you started on my job yet?” “Where are you located?” There are about fifteen inquiries which can be anticipated with a high degree of accuracy.
A typical phone call goes like this;
“Hello, Ben Williams Jewelers.”
“Is this Ben Williams Jewelers?”
“Yes, it is.”
“Oh”
“May I help you?”
“Well, yes, my sister Rebecca passed away last month. You know Rebecca was 84. Yes. She was ah… no I think Rebecca was 85. Hmm…well Rebecca always liked nice things. And she married a man who gave her nice things. Yes. Charlie was always good to Rebecca. Well, in 1946 Charlie gave Rebecca some pearls. You know, they are on a string and have a white clasp and are about 17” long. Do you think they are valuable?”
“Well they could be, why don’t you bring them in?”
“Bring them in you say, well, yes I guess I could. And you know there is this little yellow ring sister had. It has four little red stones in it. Do you think they are rubies?”
“They could be, why don’t you bring them in and let us look at them.”
“Bring them in you say.”
“And by the way, sister had this watch. It is a white gold watch, an Elgin. Do you think it is worth fixing?”
“I really can’t say, some of those watches are just beyond repair, but we’d have to see it.”
“Oh. Yes. You say you’d have to see it?”
“Yes. We’d have to see it. We’ll be happy to look at it.”
“And, sister had a clock…”
“Madam, we don’t work on clocks.”
“Oh, you don’t work on clocks?”
“No, sorry, we recommend you take it to Zonk Clock Works.”
“Oh, well…do you think it is worth fixing?”
“I really couldn’t say. Mr. Williams does not work on clocks.”
“Why not?”
“Well, watchmaking and clockmaking, and jewelry work are all different trades. Mr. Williams decided not to work on clocks in 1946.”
“In 1946? Why that’s the year Charlie gave Rebecca the pearls!”
“Yes, why not bring them in and let us look at them?”
“Well, do you think you could take a little peek at the clock…”
“No, no madam…we don’t work on clocks.”
“Well, alright. Next month or so I’m going to be busy, but I’ll be there in a month or so and I‘ll be sure to call first.”
“Alright madam. Goodbye madam.”
“Goodbye, you‘ve been most helpful.”
Ring…
“Ben Williams Jewelers.”
“Is this Ben Morris Jewelers?”
“No, it isn’t. It is Ben Williams Jewelers.”
“Oh. Are you the one down there by Zobie Grocers?”
“Yes, we are.”
“Oh, well you’re the one I want. You aren’t Ben Morris Jewelers?”
“No, Ben is a very common name.”
“Oh, it is?”
“Yes.”
(silence)
“Is there something I can help you with?”
“Yes, I went down to the mall and they have these watches on sale. They are black and gold and have a brand name of Henry Jones, are they good watches?”
“I have no idea. I’ve never heard of the brand.”
“Oh? Well, I have a lot of respect for your opinion, do you think the price of $69.95 is too high?”
“I have no idea.”
“Well, let’s say I buy one and bring it by and let you all look at it, would you be able to tell me if it is worth it?”
“No, you buy from someone you trust and trust them to tell you what it is worth.”
“Oh. Well, I trust you.”
“That’s nice, why not buy it here?”
“Because I saw these keen watches at the mall and I want to get one of them.”
“Well, good luck! I have to go wait on an in store customer.”
“Oh, well goodbye and thanks.”
A two-minute time lapse. Ring…
“Ben Williams Jewelers.”
“Hello. My name is Hank. I am a commuter. Every second week of the month I come to El Paso to sell shrimp…”
Another two minute span…Ring…
“Ben Williams Jewelers.”
“Hello, my name is Betty Sue Smith and I am with the high school cheerleaders association and we are working our way to the state finals and we would like for you to buy a ticket to our fund raiser and they are only $10. We cannot do this without help and we need your support. We are doing many good things for the community and represent your local high school. How much of a donation can we expect from you?”
“Well, Betty Sue we’d like to give to everyone, but we simply can’t and in our case we give what we can to a charity we helped form and to our church. We simply cannot give to everyone although we’d like to as we’re sure it is a good cause.”
“Oh.”
“Have you ever been in the store Betty Sue?”
“No, I haven’t.”
“Well, lots of luck.”
Two minute interval
Ring…
“Ben Williams Jewelers.”
“Say, I have some earrings and they need to be fixed, can you do that?”
“Likely, why not bring them in?”
“Well, I hate to do that if they can’t be fixed.”
“What’s wrong with them?”
“So troublesome…they snag on my panty hose.”
“Well, madam…I can’t be sure, but bring them in and we’ll try.”
“Well, alright. Next time I’m out…”
Two minute interval. Ring…
“Ben Williams Jewelers.”
“Say, I called earlier about my sister’s pearls…”
That slogan should be…
“Lord, give me the strength because of all these walking fingers.”
