The Pusher Man
Early in my employment at Maxwell’s Hardware, Tommy Trego told me to expect February to be a slow month with the exceptions of selling eggs. I flashed a confused look his way. He told me his church makes nearly 60,000 chocolate peanut butter eggs, and we sell a good number of them. His narrative included how customers stream in just to get them. I wonder how much was wishful thinking mixed with short term memory.
After the holidays, we set up two baskets of eggs by the cash registers, and I waited. Just like Tommy said, people came in just to buy eggs. Some went into stories about how they can’t pass by without stopping for them. Some guys used their wives as the fall gals for buying them. All too soon I saw through the denial; they were hooked on the eggs.
After a time, I began to feel like a pusher: Passing primo product for hard cash only. As the sale of eggs grounded on, I noticed the eggs actually got smaller. I sensed another parallel of the eggs with street drugs. Getting them hooked on the really good stuff and then cut the product so they’ll buy more.
Who could I ask about this egg downsizing ? One good source was Ann Trego, Tommy’s Mom who oversees the making of the eggs. She said the younger parishioners roll them for too long a time which compacts them in size. The eggs weigh the same but are more compressed.
I learned from my Maxwell’s employment and the Tregos that the egg making is a well designed dance. They are made to exact details and follow traditional procedures. Actually it all sounds quite effective.
It is a pleasure to sit back and observe an activity where all things run smoothly and in the end, a massive amount of work is accomplished well.
Tip of the hat to the Glenmoore Methodist Church. Your eggs rock and so do you.
Post script: Today is March 31, and there’s three day until Easter. We have the chocolate coconut eggs but are out of the chocolate peanut butter eggs and chocolate pretzels. People learn this and then look forlorn.
The final tally for Maxwell’s Hardware was over 7,000 eggs sold. This is a new company record.