there was a salesman named Jack. He'd made a good career for himself in the merchant trading business, selling goods and services for a couple of different trading companies over a few years and was considered by many to be the best salesman in his village.

Jack decided one day, after talking it over with his loving wife Jill, to put some feelers out to try and land a different job. Now, this was unusual, since it was an era of Bountiful Times and Jack was the #1 salesman of seed for his current company, Acme Seed & Feed. But, the challenge just wasn't there anymore and he truly believed there was something better just over the horizon.

One sunny afternoon, Jack stopped his cart when he heard the beautiful sound of pan pipes playing down a side street. Following his ears, the pipes led him to the office of the Mighty Headhunter, Sirena.

"I came because I heard your song," Jack said.

Sirena merely smiled. "We both know why you're here!"

"I don't understand," Jack stammered.

"You're looking for a new job, isn't that right?"

"How did you know?"

"The siren's song is available for all to hear, but is only heard by those in need."

So, Sirena shared the tale of a new company with a seed product that could produce the absolutely LARGEST bean harvest in world history. Why, the beanstalks alone could almost touch the sky. Jack was wildly excited.

"So, where do we go from here?"

Sirena replied, "It's no problem for me to set a meeting with the Chief of Beans R Us, but you must promise me of your sincerity. Neither they nor I are able to waste our time on someone uncommitted to making this change."

"Oh, I promise," he said. "I promise!"

Jack raced home in a cloud of dust. He ran in the front door, excited to tell Jill all about his encounter with the modern day Pied Piper, Sirena and her offer to show him the way to a bright new future.

Jill's eyes narrowed as she listened to Jack talk about his meeting with Sirena. Jack had seen this look before.

"You seem excited, but I see something else in your eyes. What are you thinking?"

Jill bit her red lip seductively, slightly closed her eyes as she did before they kissed and replied: "Jack, it's great that you met this Sirena character and the job sounds exciting and all--and I can see it's got you all in a lather, but . . . ."

"But what?"

"Jack, you and I both know that you're the best seed salesman in the land. And we both know that if this Bean Company has a good job, there's got to be many companies with similar needs."

"So what?"

"So, follow through on the chance with the Bean Company and spend your days looking for other Headhunters and other companies. After all, what they don't know won't hurt them and you might be missing an even better opportunity, blinded as you are by this Siren's song."

What Jill said made sense to Jack, but there was something else. Maybe it was just a petty jealousy thing over Sirena. But, something about Jill's idea rang false with Jack. He turned it over in his mind and decided he wouldn't really be breaking his promise of sincerity to Sirena if he put out a couple more feelers as well. After all, he reasoned, it's MY future I'm gambling here. No sense in not hedging my bets.

A week passed. The meetings with Beans R Us went phenomenally well. The product was everything Sirena said it was and more. The people at the company seemed very nice, and very straightforward, as well. In the meantime, Jack had met several other Headhunters and had had other meetings with other agricultural companies as well.

The following Monday Jack received an offer from Beans R Us. He was elated. He raced home to tell Jill the great news.

"That's wonderful, Honey! Now you have a trump card to play with the other Headhunters and those other companies."

"What do you mean?"

"Silly boy! Go tell the other Headhunters about your offer and get them to get their companies to up the ante!"

"But . . . ." Jack had a sinking feeling in his belly. He really liked the people at Beans R Us. The other companies were nice, as well, but as he got deeper and deeper in, he realized that the deception by omission was eating away at him.

"No buts, Honey! You go out and see what kind of an offer your other Headhunters can generate for you now that you've got one already. After all, you want to make your family happy don't you?" Jill's eyes were glittering like gems.

"But, Jill, I need to give Beans R Us an answer by sundown."

"So tell them yes, but that you need a week to get your affairs in order. Even that bimbo Sirena should fall for that one."

So, crestfallen, Jack did what he was told. He verbally accepted the offer to the Chief of Beans R Us with the start date to be the following week from Monday. He stopped by on the way home to share the result of the meeting with Sirena.

"That's wonderful, Jack. But, tell me--is there something wrong? You don't look as excited as you should be."

Jack lowered his eyes and replied, "Oh no, Sirena, I'm really excited about the change. I guess I'm starting to feel a little guilty."

"Jack, I've gotta ask you--is there anything that would prevent you from actually starting that job a week from Monday? Would you accept a counter offer from your old company? Is there anything else you haven't told me?"

Jack couldn't believe his ears. If he didn't believe in Women's Intuition before, he certainly did now. But he denied there was anything else.

Jack was busy the rest of the week. As Jill predicted, two other companies were prodded into making even more lucrative offers than Beans R Us. But, in his heart, Jack still wanted Beans R Us.

Finally, on Friday afternoon, Jack was browbeaten into accepting an offer from the Tofu Factory, a competitor to Beans R Us. The people were from another land; they weren't particularly friendly and they seemed to treat him like a piece of merchandise. But, their offer was 20% higher than Beans R Us.

Monday morning passed with Jack being oriented at Tofu Factory. He'd spoken to the Chief of Beans R Us on his way to work that morning. As excited as he was about his new gig, his heart just wasn't in it.

On the way home he heard the seductive sound of pan flutes again. Against his will he turned down the side street again and before he knew it, he stood in front of Sirena's office.

"Hello Jack. I'm surprised to see you here, especially since you broke your promise to me AND to your almost employer, Beans R Us."

"I know. But I heard the pipes again and couldn't stop myself."

"But, Jack, the pipes aren't playing today. I'm not looking for someone like you. I'm glad you're here, though, because I've got some news that you might be interested in hearing."

"What's that?"

"Beans R Us just bought Tofu Factory. Guess you ended up with them anyway, if only for a day."

"For a day?"

"Tomorrow I put out the pan pipes for someone to replace you. The Chief of Beans R Us can't trust someone who broke his word."

Jack went home to find his pink slip. Jill left him for the new Tofu Salesman. Sirena put the word out to the other Headhunters that Jack wasn't to be trusted. He left town soon after.

Don't be seduced by the sounds of too many Siren's songs or you'll have to pay the piper.

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