Editor's Note: The final half of this article tells the second and third tales of lying to get past the gatekeeper. RainToday.com members can click here to read the first half of the article.

The Case of the Schoolyard Bully

While on vacation in March, I received a frantic call from my office. My assistant was panicked because she'd gotten a call from a man who insisted that he had a meeting set up with me for that day, and that it was "critical" that he talk to me. He also told her that he "had talked to me directly," that this was "a follow-up meeting," that I had "promised to talk to him," and even that he had "time sensitive information" he had to get to me.

When she finally got me on the phone, explained the situation, and told me what company he was calling from, I realized it was all a ruse. I had never talked to him or his company before. I did know enough about what they did, however, to realize that what they sold was not relevant to my business and I was not, nor ever would be, interested in the service they offered.

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