Bill was a clerk in a small drugstore, ...........but he was not much of a salesman. He could never find the item the customer wanted. Dave, the owner, had had about enough and warned Bill that the next sale he missed would be his last. Just then a man came in coughing and asked Bill for their best cough syrup. Try as he might, Bill could not find the cough syrup. Remembering Dave's warning, he sold the man a box of laxatives and told him to take it all at once. The customer did as Bill said, then walked outside and leaned against a lamppost Dave had seen the whole thing and came over to ask Bill what had transpired. '"'He wanted something for his cough, but I couldn't find the cough syrup. I substituted a laxative and told him to take it all at once, ... Bill explained. "Laxatives won't cure a cough!"' Dave shouted angrily. "Sure it will!" Bill said, pointing at the man leaning on the lamppost. "Look at him. He's afraid to cough!"