Had an F150 pickup for the rez roads. Traded it in on an Escape when my mother was ill so I could get her around. Now that she's gone went looking for an F150 last fall. The kid salesman at the local Ford dealership flat ignored me. More like he didn't know what to do. I have no "need" so let it slide.

Then I'm in to parts to pick up a new back windshield wiper and the parts guy, a long time friend, gives me the new truck pitch. Told him I was way ahead of him but his company had no interest. He said he'd look into it and call. No one did.

Last week I lined up my own financing with the bank and went down to shop. Got the sales manager. Looked at a few trucks - their inventory is obviously very low from what it used to be in the "good old days." He was gonna call too. Never has.

Don't know what ever happened to professional car salesmen - rather than the folks that took the job because it was open - but I don't see any around here.

Used to sell Fords myself back in about 1970. The dealer there really did have all the salesmen's offices bugged with a big elaborate master listening station. Not only would they listen to the salesmen "sell" (they thought they did better if they knew the boss could be listening at any time), they also would do the leave the office trick then go listen in to what the couple was saying to each other while the salesman was gone.

When they came back they had all the inside dope. Same folks had cars up on blocks in the back lot, running in reverse, to lower the mileage. And new car demos being driven by the salesmen had their odometer's disconnected until they were sold to the public.

Remember well one nice little old lady school teacher wondering why a "new" car looked like such a beater and reeked of stale cigar smoke....

We have met the enemy, and he is us.