Just a Few Words

Hobson

"... And she said that was what really changed her life!"

Maria looked around the group sitting at the table, as if challenging them to find fault with the story she had just told. Instead, there was a wave of nodding and mumblings of agreement. Satisfied at the reaction from her audience, Maria continued with her pitch. "Of course, this didn't happen overnight. It required dedication, hard work and - of course - our unique support programme."

"Nonsense!"

The outburst caused the group to fall silent. Maria focussed her attention on the dissenter. She recognised the type: male, one of the older group members, sat just a little way apart from the others. There's always one, Maria thought. But I know exactly how to deal with him.

She smiled sweetly at the man and squinted at his name badge. "Dave, right?" She didn't wait for an answer. "What makes you think it's nonsense?"

Dave smiled back at her. "Well, it is, isn't it? Just because some people believe in a thing doesn't make it true."

Maria stepped forward. "Well, that's just your opinion. And if your opinion is valid to you, then you have to acknowledge that other people's opinions are also valid."

Dave shook his head. "No. I'm an engineer, not one of your touchy-feely people management types. I deal in facts, not abstracts."

"But people's lives are full of abstracts. They're messy, touchy-feely things. You can't measure quality of life." That's it. Throw his words right back at him.

"No, you can't," Dave replied. "But you do seem to be assigning a value to it. How much are you charging the company for this? And what are they getting in return?"

The rest of the people in the group looked back from Dave to Maria, waiting for her to say something. Maria turned her smile up a notch. "Something that will change their lives, bring them around to a new way of thinking. Can you really put a price on something that does that?"

"No. You can't."

Maria smiled. She felt that she had won this one, but then Dave held up his hand. "Of course," he said, "that depends on your definition of 'life changing'. Things that change your life happen every day, and often not in ways that are immediately obvious. Anyone who works in safety knows that the smallest events can often have the biggest consequences. All it takes is one short-circuit and ... ." Dave spread his hands wide.

"Alright." Maria folded her arms and scowled. "Prove it."

Dave leaned across the table and picked up a promotional notepad. He pulled two sheets from it and scribbled something on each of them, then put them face down on the table. "Empirical test," he said."Pick one."

Maria hesitated. "But I don't know what they say. How can I choose?"

Dave shrugged and leaned back in his chair. "Just like real life."

Maria reached out, her hand hovering between the two sheets, then brought it down.