As a waitress, I witness a lot of business meetings. During these encounters I try to offer what we call in the restaurant industry, "silent service". This means I try my darndest to anticipate and attend to the needs of a table full of guests while speaking as little as possible. It's a tricky skill to master. The guests usually help me out, though - they do their part by generally treating me as if I'm invisible. Thus, as I'm placing refills on the table and clearing plates, I hear all the details of things like quarterly estimates, profit projections and sales pitches.
A few days ago I served two guests that were involved in a sales meeting - something to do with pharmaceuticals. Guest A was the salesman and Guest B was the potential buyer. Guest A pulled out a large canvas case. It looked like an oversized wallet only, instead of carrying numerous credit cards, it housed at least two dozen different types of labeled prescription pills.
GUEST A: These are the prescriptions that I'm able to offer my clients.
GUEST B: (Leaning forward and peering over his glasses.) For what host of maladies?
"For what host of maladies." Please, take a moment to enjoy that. In the middle of a work shift, I felt like I had been transported into the Apothecary scene from Romeo and Juliet.
"For what host of maladies?"
Such mortal drugs I have; but Mantua's law
Is death to any he that utters them.
Sweet Lord, that's good stuff.
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