A MEMOIR

As the Export Sales Manager I travelled virtually around the world calling on distributors and customers.
I had been in communications with a potential new distributor located in Lima, Peru. I had not previously travelled to Peru and my only communication was using Telex or telephone.

Arrangements were made for him to meet me at the airport upon my arrival. My flight was the last flight for the evening and when I cleared customs and entered the lobby 2-men came up to me and asked in Spanish if I was Senior Halls. Due to the accent and my limited Spanish I thought they said my name which is quite similar so I said Si and off we went.
As we were traveling into Lima, I tried to make conversation which amounted to them nodding their heads occasionally. However when I mentioned my prospective distributors name and also mentioned the hotel where I had reservations they suddenly pulled off the highway and stopped the car.

They asked again my name and I showed them my passport. They both looked like they had swallowed a cat. They made a quick u-turn and headed for a residential area where they pulled up to one of their houses. One of them jumped out of the car and went inside to make a phone call. Apparently they were told of their mistake and off we went back to the airport which by now was deserted.

I got a taxi to my hotel and the next morning my distributor called me to apologize for arriving late at the airport.