The other day, I was shopping for a pair of running shoes for my husband at a mall in Pune. While comparing different brands in a sports store, I noticed a customer behaving rather strangely. At first, I thought he was simply being fussy. He tried on a pair of running shoes, walked to the end of the aisle, turned around, and walked back. Then, to my surprise, he walked backward.
Curious, I pretended to browse while keeping an eye on him.
The salesperson, a young man with a pleasant smile, watched him for a while before finally giving in to his curiosity.
"Good afternoon, sir. Looking for anything in particular?"
"Running shoes."
"You've come to the right place."
"I hope so."
The salesperson led him to a display.
"If comfort is what you're after, these are one of our popular models."
The Man picked up a blue pair and examined it carefully.
"May I try these?"
"Certainly. What size?"
"Nine."
A few moments later, the salesperson returned with the shoebox.
The customer slipped on the shoes, tied the laces, and stood up.
Instead of taking a few steps, he walked the entire length of the store, turned around, and walked back. Then he repeated the walk, this time in reverse.
A couple of shoppers glanced at him before returning to their shopping.
He squatted twice, bounced lightly on his toes, and balanced on one foot.
The salesperson smiled.
"I have to ask."
"Go ahead."
"I've seen plenty of people try on shoes, but never like this."
"I'm very particular."
"I can see that."
The Man shifted his weight from one foot to the other.
"Do these feel tight?" he asked.
The salesperson frowned.
"How would I know?"
The Man smiled.
"Exactly."
"I can't tell you how your feet feel."
"Some people would've."
"I'd rather not guess."
"Fair enough."
The Man removed the shoes.
"Do you have these in black?"
"Yes."
"Same size?"
"Size nine. I'll be right back."
When the salesperson returned, the customer pointed at the box.
"How do you know it's the same shoe?"
He turned the box around.
"Same model number. Only the color is different."
The Man nodded.
"You checked."
"I didn't want to assume."
"Good."
He tried on the black pair.
Once again, he walked, walked backward, balanced on one foot, squatted, and gave a small hop.
By now, I was more interested in him than the shoes I had come to buy.
The Man removed the shoes and looked at another display.
"What about those?"
The salesperson picked up a grey pair.
"They're lighter."
"I can see that."
"They're made for faster runs."
"So they're better?"
"Not necessarily."
"Why?"
"They're great if you're training seriously, like for Marathons that happen regularly. But if you're walking or jogging occasionally, I'd save your money."
The Man looked at him.
"You'd actually tell a customer not to spend more?"
"I'd rather you buy the right pair than the expensive pair."
The Man tilted his head, looked at the salesman, and smiled.
He tried on the grey shoes.
After walking a few steps, he suddenly broke into a short jog across the store.
"Sir!" the salesperson called, trying not to laugh.
The Man stopped immediately.
"Sorry."
The salesperson walked over.
"This is a store."
"I know."
"If you wanted to run, you could've asked."
"And you would've said no."
"I probably would've."
"Exactly."
They both laughed.
As the Man untied the shoes, the salesperson looked at him curiously.
"You've been here almost an hour."
"Really?"
"You've tried three pairs, inspected every stitch, bent the soles, and asked questions no one's ever asked me."
The Man grinned.
"You're observant."
"So... what do you do?"
"Want the honest answer?"
"I'd appreciate it."
"I'm a professional shoe tester."
The salesperson stared at him.
"That's an actual job?"
"It is."
"You get paid to test shoes?"
"I get paid to find problems before customers do."
The salesperson shook his head.
"I didn't know that sort of job existed."
"Most people don't."
The Man stood up.
"But that's not why I'm here today."
"No?"
"You think I've been testing shoes."
"Haven't you?"
"Not really."
The salesperson looked puzzled.
"Then what have you been testing?"
"You."
For a moment, the salesperson simply stared at him.
"Me?"
The Man nodded.
"You never pretended to know what you didn't."
The salesperson smiled.
"Because I didn't."
"You checked the model number instead of guessing."
"Yes."
"You recommended the cheaper pair because it suited my needs."
The salesperson shrugged.
"It seemed like the right thing to do."
"It was."
The Man reached into his pocket and handed him a business card.
"I'm consulting for a company that's opening premium sports stores."
The salesperson looked at the card.
"We've been visiting stores without announcing ourselves."
He looked up.
"So... this was an interview?"
"In a way."
"And?"
The Man smiled.
"You passed."
The salesperson laughed.
"I've never been interviewed without knowing it."
"The best interviews are often like that."
He picked up his backpack and walked toward the exit.
"One last question," the salesperson called.
The Man turned around.
"Which pair are you buying?"
"None."
The salesperson laughed.
"After all that?"
"I already have enough running shoes."
"Then why spend an hour trying them on?"
The Man smiled.
"I wasn't looking for shoes."
He pointed at tthe business card in the salesperson's hand.
"I wasn't looking for someone who could sell shoes and close a sale. I was looking for someone who could help people choose the right pair."
As he walked away, I looked down at the pair of shoes I was holding and smiled. I had come to the mall to buy running shoes for my husband. Instead, I went home with a story I knew I'd remember for a long time.
