Speak Clearly and Confidently

I have yucca plants growing in my yard that on occasion I separate and share. Years after I gave some to a coworker the woman stopped by my desk to tell me how nicely they were growing and spreading. She followed it up by asking what was causing the holes in her yard surrounding the plants.Without batting an eye and in all seriousness I replied, “Prairie dogs.” I went on to explain how yucca plants are known to attract them and therefore, any in the immediate area were being drawn to her yard. I expressed my surprise that she hadn’t seen any in person and told her that if she watched closely I was sure she would.

Naturally, she wanted to know if there was anyway to rid her yard of the prairie dogs because the ridges from the tunnels they were digging were becoming a nuisance. I informed her that her only hope was if someone else in the neighborhood planted yuccas and suggested she may want to pass some on.

What you need to keep in mind is that we live in eastern Pennsylvania. The only prairie dogs in this region are in zoos. But I sounded so knowledgeable and reasonable as we were speaking that she believed me. For days, I sat back and listened to the story of what a nuisance prairie dogs were as it circulated throughout the office until someone finally explained to her that I was teasing. Even then, she still returned to me to verify that with me before accepting the other individual’s word on it.

Just goes to show you shouldn’t always believe everything everyone tells you no matter how convincing they may sound.