The Spiked Heel

He considered the situation gravely, remembering that they had okayed McQuade’s earlier idea, even in the face of contrary supporting evidence. He knew what it meant to buck the chain of command. And there was, too, the remote possibility that, despite the outsized cost load, despite the inferior material and workmanship, Naked Flesh would earn its keep and actually sell the rest of the line besides. If Griff bucked McQuade, if Griff protested to Titanic and then Naked Flesh hit the jackpot…

He considered the situation gravely.

And then he called Danny Quinn.

Danny recognized his voice instantly. “Hi, Griff, what’s up?”

Griff gave it to him fast. “I’m driving down to Titanic Shoe in Georgia,” he said. “I’m starting now, and I’m going to drive until I get there, and I may need someone to spell me at the wheel. How about it?”

“Are you kicking McQuade out?” Danny asked.

“I’m going to try.”

“Pick me up,” Danny said. “I’ll be ready when you come by.”

They arrived in Georgia before the close of the business day on a hot Friday. Griff told his story to the men of Titanic, and the men of Titanic listened. And then they told Griff they would seriously consider all that he had said. They seemed particularly surprised about the figures he mentioned, figures which allegedly proved that a cost-plus operation was ill-conceived and unfeasible. Apparently, they had never received any such figures from McQuade. They’d received only a memo saying he’d got new information which only reaffirmed his decision to disband Cost.

“We would appreciate it,” they told Griff, “if you’d send those figures to us on Monday morning, when you’re back in New York. We shall carefully survey all that you’ve told us.”

On Monday morning, the letter from Halver House — a big retail outfit, in San Francisco — arrived at the Chrysler Building. Dave Stiegman read it, whistled in surprise, and then sent it over to Jefferson McQuade.

19

Julien Kahn, Inc.

Chrysler Building

New York, New York

Gentlemen:

The success of “Naked Flesh” is phenomenal!

It’s a beautiful shoe, and a well-built shoe, and your ad campaign on it has been brilliant. Customers are flocking into our shop, buying “Naked Flesh,” and generally purchasing other shoes in your line while they are in the store.

In shot, please accept our congratulations for an excellently conceived and executed maneuver which has briskly stimulated business.

And to back up our flowery praise, we’re sending on an authorization for the largest reorder we’ve ever made on a single pump, in our usual breakdown of sizes.

   Sincerely,

   SAMUEL HALVER

   for Halver House

The letter was photographed and copies run off for salesmen and retailers. McQuade had a copy made and encased in lucite and he hung it in the new marble entranceway to the factory, so that anyone entering or leaving the factory couldn’t fail to see it. It seemed as if McQuade’s fantastic gamble had paid off. Naked Flesh was a big success. It seemed as if the worries of Julien Kahn, Inc., were over. It seemed as if prosperity was just around the corner.

The woman said, “But I’ve always worn 6½AA in your shoes. I don’t understand it.”

The salesman looked at her dubiously. “Well,” he said, “this is a 6½AA.”

“It doesn’t fit,” she said simply. “I’ve wanted this Naked Flesh ever since I saw the ads, too.”

The salesman smiled. “We’ll try 7A, how’s that? Maybe that’ll turn the trick.”

“A 7½B?” the blonde asked. “That’s ridiculous. I wear a 7B. Let me see that shoe.”

“This is the one you asked for, madam,” the salesman said. “Naked Flesh.”

“I want to see the last number inside the shoe,” the blonde told him. She took the shoe from his hand and studied the numbers stamped on the inside. “That’s funny,” she said. “It’s the 1284 last. But your shoes always fit me so well. This one pinches.” She handed the shoe back to him. “I’m sorry, but I’ll have to let it go. It’s such a pretty shoe, too.”

The fat lady with the blue hair said, “I took a size larger against my better judgment. It still doesn’t fit. It keeps slipping off my foot when I walk. What’s wrong with this shoe, anyway?”

The chic brunette with the poodle cut said, “I didn’t notice the grain on this shoe until I got home. Why, look at it! It’s disgusting! Am I supposed to pay thirty-seven fifty for that? I’m sorry, but I want my money back!”