A Little White Lie

　　《365个英语小故事》:实用简洁的小故事，都是日常生活小故事，在学习英语的同时了解美国文化，循序渐进，轻松掌握。

　　Irene was angry at her boyfriend Rory. She was trying to make a business deal. Rory was not a business man. But she needed Rorys help because she was a woman and business men, she knew, routinely lied to women.

　　All you have to do is tell Mr. Lo that you are the sales manager for my company. Whats the big deal? Its not like youre in court raising your right hand and swearing to God. Youre just telling a sales manager that you also are a sales manager. That way he has respect for you. He doesnt want to deal with someone who is lower than him. You must be his equal. Then he will have respect for you, and he will tell you the truth. I need to know if he can ship 10 tons of copper to Long Beach every month. He told me he could ship only five. I think he is lying to me, because Im a woman. But he wont lie to a man.

　　Ha! You think men dont lie to other men? Of course they do. But thats beside the point. I am not going to misrepresent myself in what could be a huge business transactionthats fraud.

　　Its not fraud; its a little white lie. Dont be such a chicken!

　　Im not a chicken, for crying out loud. I just dont want to go to jail. You dont know the laws, and neither do I. All I know is that Ill be misrepresenting myself; you can call it a little white lie, but the lawyers who prosecute me will call it fraud. Maybe we can think of another title for me that isnt a lie.

　　You want another title instead of sales manager? You want a title that isnt a lie? I have a title for youwhen you call him up, introduce yourself as my companys Chief Executive Chicken!