2, 1966, Woodrow Derenberger was in a good mood. It was just as his boss had told him many times—now it had come true. “Don’t be discouraged, Woody. You’re new at selling. There’s nothing so bad for a salesman as working for a few days without a sale. But there’s also nothing so good for him as making that big sale.” That day Woody Derenberger had struck pay dirt. In his pocket was a signed order for a color TV set, a $500 stereo, and some appliances. The hard sales ground work he had done was beginning to pay off. Woody had taken the sales job as a temporary measure to support his family, a wife and two children. The plant where he had been a long-term employee had been on strike for six weeks, and his savings were diminishing. Somewhat shy at meeting people, he had experienced misgivings about the job when it was offered; but he had tried unsuccessfully to obtain others. It seemed no employers wanted to take on striking employees, who would work only temporarily until the wage dispute was settled.
