The editor of this blog bought a wrist watch tonight at the last of Pasadena's old-line chain department stores, now under a different corporate name. The sales clerk, "Donna," and I struck up a conversation. Donna is from the United Kingdom and she says she originally migrated to the U.S. because things were more honest here.
I was initially struck with Donna's comments about how Swiss Army watches were the best at keeping time and would never break because they were made in Switzerland, not China. She also related that Swiss Army Watch Company did not spend money on advertising as did their competitors, which inflated the price of other watches. The reason I was in the market for a new watch was that I had broken two new watches in three days - a cheap attractive Chinese non-brand knock off watch and a Timex.
Interestingly, Donna related that she now works two jobs as she is occupationally displaced due to the financial meltdown. She now works as a retail sales manager in the jewelry department of a major department store and does part time consulting in risk management. Her former employer was one of the mortgage banking giants and their headquarters were in Southern California, with a satellite operation here in Pasadena. Her position with this nation-wide mortgage bank, which shall remain unnamed at her request, was risk manager.
I asked Donna if she could say one thing about this mortgage bank what would it be? She replied without hesitation "it was corrupt from the top down." This is an interesting statement for someone who served in the capacity of risk manager.
Donna said if she could say one thing it would be "what is so hard about doing the right thing?" She repeated this phrase several times while I spoke with her. She said that she repeats it often in the hope that it will spread. Donna says that the U.S. has gotten corrupt over the last 15 years. She thinks it is long past due to reverse this.
I asked Donna about the pin she was wearing on her blouse. She said it was a Christian cross. It was an oddly shaped cross like two curved lines crossing -- sort of a disguised cross not meant to offend or to give rise to a customer complaint or any management disciplinary action. Donna was proud of this cross and her distinguished customer service pin.
The Internet has the potential to create ripples from small stones dropped into the pond of the world wide web. So I will repeat Donna's message for her: "Why is it so hard to do the right thing?"
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