Donald
M. McMahon, who was superintendent of Lewis and Valentine, nurserymen
and landscape architects in Rye, New York, related this incident:
"Shortly
after I attended the talk on 'How to Win Friends and Influence
People,' I was landscaping the estate of a famous attorney. The owner
came out to give me a few instructions about where he wished to plant
a mass of rhododendrons and azaleas.
"I
said, 'Judge, you have a lovely hobby. I've been admiring your
beautiful dogs. I understand you win a lot of blue ribbons every year
at the show in Madison Square Garden.' "
The
effect of this little expression of appreciation was striking.
"
'Yes,' the judge replied, 'I do have a lot of fun with my dogs. Would
you like to see my kennel?'"
He
spent almost an hour showing me his dogs and the prizes they had won.
He even brought out their pedigrees and explained about the
bloodlines responsible for such beauty and intelligence.
"Finally,
turning to me, he asked: 'Do you have any small children?'
"
'Yes, I do,' I replied, 'I have a son.' "
'Well,
wouldn't he like a puppy?' the judge inquired.
"
'Oh, yes, he'd be tickled pink.'
"
'All right, I'm going to give him one,' the . judge announced.
He
started to tell me how to feed the puppy. Then he paused. 'You'll
forget it if I tell you. I'll write it out.'
So
the judge went in the house, typed out the pedigree and feeding
instructions, and gave me a puppy worth several hundred dollars and
one hour and fifteen minutes of his valuable time largely because I
had expressed my honest admiration for his hobby and achievements.
