Electronic Chalk
“Electronic chalk.”
“Electronic chalk?”
“Electronic chalk. I bet that’s the next great invention. You pop in a AA-battery, stand anywhere in the room and you can write with electronic chalk, right on the board.”
“I think they’ve moved on to computers in classrooms, Charlie. Chalk is an old dog.”
“Oh. Well, it’s been awhile since I’ve been in a classroom.”
“Right.”
“But the police could use it, you know, homicide squads. They wouldn’t have to get near the body when they chalked it. Probably save evidence, and they wouldn’t have to worry ‘bout steppin’ in any blood pools.”
“Mmm-hmm.”
“You listening, Donna?”
“Mmm-hmm.”
“And kids could use it too, like to draw on sidewalks. What’s the game they always play on sidewalks? Hopscotch. They could draw their hopscotch boards with it.”
“I don’t know about that one either.”
“Why not.”
“Well, for one, kids don’t play outside anymore. And the ones that do play outside, they do it because they’re poor. And I don’t see how those ones would be able to afford electronic chalk.”
“So what you’re saying is, we need to keep the prices reasonable.”
“We?”
“Well, I’m going to need an assistant.”
“Assistant?”
“Yea. Like a sales rep.”
“And what exactly will I be doing?”
“Well let’s see. I design and produce the electronic chalk, and you go around from store to store convincing the vendors that they should sell it.”
“Like at convenience stores?”
“Like at convenience stores, yea. Also department stores maybe. You just go in, dressed all professional, and say ‘Hello. I am a representative of the Charles Svenson Company --”
“Why’s it named after you and not us?”
“– ‘and I’d like to talk to you today about this wonderful product I am selling.’ And then maybe you give them a demonstration. And then they’ll buy some and you move on to the next store.”
“We could sell it online too. That’s where everybody shops nowadays.”
“That’s right, we’ll need a website.”
“So how does electronic chalk work?”
“Oh, I imagine you just push the button and it turns on.”
“No I mean – how do you get the chalk to travel across the room.”
“Oh. Well I that’s something I’ve been thinking about. I’ve got this friend named Barry, and he works on lasers over at this research company at the industrial park. So I think I’ll bring him in on this too.”
“Hmm.”
“You paying attention?”
“Yea, bring Barry in.”
“That’s right. He’s my laser guy.”
“Where are you going to build these lasers, Charlie?”
“Well I figure we can start up out of my garage, there’s plenty of room in there once I pull out my bass boat, I’ll just put that up on blocks on the lawn. We’ll probably have to work out of my kitchen once winter comes because that garage isn’t heated, so we’ll have to move out some junk and –”
“Couldn’t you use some lasers to heat your garage?”
“Well. You know Donna, I think you’re onto something. I’m going to have to talk to Barry about that.”
“I think you should put my name in the corporation name.”
“Company, Donna, company. I’m not sure how Frykowski will fit in the name. Svenson-Frykowski? Maybe a little too much.”
“I think it is just enough.”
“Well Donna . . . Okay, but once because you’re my number one sales rep. But let’s not let Barry in on this part. I don’t want my laser guy getting any ownership ideas.”
“Charlie, if I run across anybody names Barry, I’ll be sure not to bring it up.”
“Great, Donna, great.”
“Electronic chalk? Really Charlie?”
“Really Donna. Electronic Chalk. Tomorrow is here today.”
“Electronic chalk?”
“Electronic chalk. I bet that’s the next great invention. You pop in a AA-battery, stand anywhere in the room and you can write with electronic chalk, right on the board.”
“I think they’ve moved on to computers in classrooms, Charlie. Chalk is an old dog.”
“Oh. Well, it’s been awhile since I’ve been in a classroom.”
“Right.”
“But the police could use it, you know, homicide squads. They wouldn’t have to get near the body when they chalked it. Probably save evidence, and they wouldn’t have to worry ‘bout steppin’ in any blood pools.”
“Mmm-hmm.”
“You listening, Donna?”
“Mmm-hmm.”
“And kids could use it too, like to draw on sidewalks. What’s the game they always play on sidewalks? Hopscotch. They could draw their hopscotch boards with it.”
“I don’t know about that one either.”
“Why not.”
“Well, for one, kids don’t play outside anymore. And the ones that do play outside, they do it because they’re poor. And I don’t see how those ones would be able to afford electronic chalk.”
“So what you’re saying is, we need to keep the prices reasonable.”
“We?”
“Well, I’m going to need an assistant.”
“Assistant?”
“Yea. Like a sales rep.”
“And what exactly will I be doing?”
“Well let’s see. I design and produce the electronic chalk, and you go around from store to store convincing the vendors that they should sell it.”
“Like at convenience stores?”
“Like at convenience stores, yea. Also department stores maybe. You just go in, dressed all professional, and say ‘Hello. I am a representative of the Charles Svenson Company --”
“Why’s it named after you and not us?”
“– ‘and I’d like to talk to you today about this wonderful product I am selling.’ And then maybe you give them a demonstration. And then they’ll buy some and you move on to the next store.”
“We could sell it online too. That’s where everybody shops nowadays.”
“That’s right, we’ll need a website.”
“So how does electronic chalk work?”
“Oh, I imagine you just push the button and it turns on.”
“No I mean – how do you get the chalk to travel across the room.”
“Oh. Well I that’s something I’ve been thinking about. I’ve got this friend named Barry, and he works on lasers over at this research company at the industrial park. So I think I’ll bring him in on this too.”
“Hmm.”
“You paying attention?”
“Yea, bring Barry in.”
“That’s right. He’s my laser guy.”
“Where are you going to build these lasers, Charlie?”
“Well I figure we can start up out of my garage, there’s plenty of room in there once I pull out my bass boat, I’ll just put that up on blocks on the lawn. We’ll probably have to work out of my kitchen once winter comes because that garage isn’t heated, so we’ll have to move out some junk and –”
“Couldn’t you use some lasers to heat your garage?”
“Well. You know Donna, I think you’re onto something. I’m going to have to talk to Barry about that.”
“I think you should put my name in the corporation name.”
“Company, Donna, company. I’m not sure how Frykowski will fit in the name. Svenson-Frykowski? Maybe a little too much.”
“I think it is just enough.”
“Well Donna . . . Okay, but once because you’re my number one sales rep. But let’s not let Barry in on this part. I don’t want my laser guy getting any ownership ideas.”
“Charlie, if I run across anybody names Barry, I’ll be sure not to bring it up.”
“Great, Donna, great.”
“Electronic chalk? Really Charlie?”
“Really Donna. Electronic Chalk. Tomorrow is here today.”
