Skinner observed that these men were good listeners and later noted the fact:—

Dress-Suit Account
DebitCredit

Important discovery! Big
men of affairs better listeners
than talkers.

But when they did talk at all, they talked in big figures—millions. And later Skinner jotted down:—

Dress-Suit Account
DebitCredit

One new experience. Heard
much big talk that was not
hot air!

There was a fascination to it all. Skinner felt that somehow he was sitting in a big game—sitting on the edge, perhaps, but rubbing shoulders with some of the men who actually shaped the affairs of the business world. The realization stimulated him, lifted him up. And when he went to claim his next dance with the social arbiter, he felt more of an equal with "bigness."

When Skinner that night put the dress suit away, he patted the coat fondly. "Sorry, Skinner, old chap,—you know what for," he murmured. Then he made the note in his little book:—

Dress-Suit Account
DebitCredit

One important lesson!
Never prematurely vent
spleen on an inanimate
object. Only silly ass does
that.

CHAPTER VI

DODGING A MAGNATE AND WHAT CAME OF IT