the next dayI looked for a job, my first job away from home.

My first love, women's shoes, led me naturally to a large girl's shoe store in Smithville. I had made some purchases there before, but now I approached the manager on a different mission.

"Yes sir" he said.

"I'm Al Priddie and I'd like to apply for work here."

"Any experience?" his question was courteous enough.

"No, but I catch on real quick and I'm willing to start at a low salary until I prove myself." I was desperate to be near the shoes I loved. All around me were the most beautiful shoes I had ever seen and I was thrilled to be among them. Without hesitation the man said:

"Well as a matter of fact, we do need a clerk and stock man just now, been thinking of running an ad. If you want to start at fifty a week you can start right now, this morning. I'll introduce you to the floor foreman and he will assign you some work. OK?"

"Sure, lead me on," I said.

Priddie.

"Bill, this is Al, Al Start him on price marking this new stock and shelving it. He'll catch on real quick and let him make some sales right today. It's important he feels useful the first day," Mr. Jones said this right in front of me and I was struck with his candor. Mr. Bill Reynolds was nice to me and helped me use the printer marker on the shoe boxes. The first style I marked was a lovely white leather high heeled pump. Just holding each pair as I inspected them for mars thrilled me beyond control and I felt the erotic effects of being near the shoes.

And so it was this extreme love for ladies shoes that led me to become a very successful shoe salesman. Even with the first customer I waited on that day, a girl wanting a dress shoe in size seven, I was very successful. The girl asked for a measurement and I got the stick down. Bill hadn't showed me how to use it yet but I had watched the other clerks and used it successfully. I showed the girl six pairs in her exact size and my commentary during the sale was watched by Bill and another man. Instead of selling just one pair, I sold the pretty girl three. So convincing was my spiel that the girl was in a trance, almost. I heaped flattery on her and sort of swept her off her feet in a sense. The sale amounted to

22.