On a flight, a man was preparing notes for one of the parent-education seminars he conducted as an educational psychologist.
The elderly woman sitting next to him explained that she was returning home after having spent two weeks visiting her six children, 18 grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren. Then she inquired what he did for a living.
He told her, fully expecting her to question him for free professional advice.
Instead she sat back, picked up a magazine and said: “If there’s anything you want to know, just ask me.”
When Peters learned that he was being fired, he went to see the head of human resources. “Since I’ve been with the firm for so long,” he said, “I think I deserve at least a letter of recommendation.”
The human resources director agreed and said he’d have the letter that next day. The following morning, Peters found the letter on his desk. It read: “Jonathan Peters worked for our company for eleven years. When he left us, we were very satisfied.”
After trying a new shampoo for the first time, a guy fired off an enthusiastic letter of approval to the manufacturer.
Several weeks later he came home from work to a large carton in the middle of the floor. Inside were free samples of the many products the company produced: soaps, detergents, tooth paste and paper items.
“Well, what do you think?” his wife asked smiling.
“Next time,” he replied. “I’m writing to General Motors!”