One thing amusing about going to the High Point Furniture Market is the Sales Reps from the various companies gossip like a bunch of old women. They like nothing they enjoy more than to whisper something to you along the lines of "You didn't hear this from me - BUT - did you know that ".............."(a competitor of theirs) is doing "xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx or got caught with "@@@@@@@" and you may just want to be aware of it".

I say "Really? You don't say? Well, thanks for that tip" and go on about my business until the next Sale sRep comes up to me with a new batch of double-top-secret news. And you know what? None of their news is really worth repeating, its all rumors and innuendos with a distilled portion of "The Truth". Its actually pretty funny, because you can count THE RUMORS at Market as surely as you can that McDonald's puts cheese on burgers.

I had one Sales Rep come into my store this week and introduce himself as the National Sales Rep for one of the lines I've carried for over 25 years. They'd never had a Rep before so it was news to me, and he told me they started up their relationship 6 weeks ago, he was out learning the stores and dealers. He ask me if I have any questions about the product line? I chuckled and said to him "You've been with them 6 weeks and want to know if I have any questions about what they make? I should be asking YOU if have questions that I can answer Heck, I designed about a quarter of their lineup for them."

And so it goes......