Member-only story
How to Resist Giving in to Manipulators
How to stop manipulators in their tracks
Years ago, my family and I “won” a free weekend stay at a nearby resort. The one condition was that we attended a presentation about a nearby timeshare and go on a tour of the place. We were leery, but the lure of a free hotel stay was irresistible. I was impressed with the suite and the great amenities like hot tubs and a pool. Afterwards a presentation, we sat down with a middle-aged salesman (I will call him Bob).
Bob came across as an aggressive know it all. The salesman certainly knew every trick in the book to get us to sign on the dotted line. Fortunately, my husband and I recognized that we were being manipulated. We made a firm decision not to sign on the dotted line. The place was too expensive, and access was too limited.
When Bob realized his sales tactics were not working, he took his last shot. He started to moan and grabbed his chest. We were stunned at first but quickly recognized that Bob was faking a heart attack (?!). We grabbed one of the timeshare staff and asked them to look after him while we made a quick exit. The staff did not seem alarmed by his Oscar-winning performance.
