#MeToo

Years ago, it had happened to me. I couldn’t let it happen to another young woman

- Marilyn Turk

LET ME CALL HER SANDY. SHE WAS a new sales rep for the food service company I worked for— fresh out of college, smart and ambitious. I was glad to have her on the team I managed. That day I was accompanying her on a sales call as part of her training. “Where are we going?” I asked as I got in her car.

“The country club,” she said. “I’m hoping we can get some business from the new chef.”

“Sounds good.” I’d started out as a sales rep. Several years earlier, I’d been a lot like Sandy—young and eager to make my name in sales. There weren’t many women in the field then. I felt I had to work extra hard to prove myself.

We parked in the back, near the employees’ entrance, and let ourselves into the kitchen. The chef greeted us and took us into his office. He was friendly enough. Sandy launched into her sales pitch. I watched our potential customer, gauging his reaction. He made a joke, and something in his tone set off warning bells in my head.

I watched him more closely. When Sandy took out a catalog of our products, he wasn’t looking at the glossy pages. He was checking her out, his eyes raking her body. I suspected Sandy was rattled but she didn’t let on. I knew exactly what was going through her head: I don’t want to lose this sale.

Thank God I was with her. There was a lot Sandy needed to learn. And it wasn’t just about sales. If only someone had told me, if only someone had stood up for me when I’d been in that same position.

“I think you should come back by yourself next time,” the chef said to her. With that, the sales call came to an abrupt end. I suspect the chef would have tried to take things further if I hadn’t been there.

Sandy and I went back to the car. “That guy was a little creepy,” she said.