At a community event, Brendan shares success secrets with the crowd. They clap and eat crumb cake samples off of small white paper plates. Most of the people came to eat than to listen. Brendan introduced three new flavors : Cinnamon Raisin Crumb Cake, Pineapple Crumb Cake, and Truffle Crumb Cake.

Zach didn't have a table. He couldn't afford the $1,000 space and he didn't like sitting and talking to people. It was long and boring. He'd rather sell and talk to people on the go. It excited him and was more active than waiting for people to talk to him. And he could be selective with the people he wanted to talk to.

Equipped with a backpack full of crumb cake in Mason jars, Zach scours the scene. People walk casually, buying clothes, food and trinkets. They are reluctant to buy from him because of the bare bones presentation. The food isn't wrapped in eye pleasing and eye catching packaging. Nor does he have the white box with the red string tied around it.

No one bought any crumb cake. People waved him off. They continued conversing with family, friends or strangers. It dawned on him to give away the product. Word of mouth would make the people clamor for the crumb cake.

People were still reluctant to buy. He couldn't understand it. Zach leaves the event and circles around the block before he goes uptown.

There's a young man buffing the outdoor dining table of a restaurant. Zach goes up to him.

"I'm giving out free samples of my delicious crumb cake", says Zach laying down the backpack between his feet. Unzipping it.

"Ask inside, the owner might want to try it, I'm on the clock", says the young man.

Zach walks through the open door. It's like a maze. He goes in a z pattern before finding a door. Relaxed in a white button up shirt, a gold tie

and gold pants, the Owner positions focused eyes on the guest.

"Yes, may I help you?" asks The Owner.

"How are you Sir, my name is Zach and I'm giving out samples of my crumb cake", says Zach showing him the crumb cake in the Mason jars. He puts a hand in the bag and pulls out a plastic fork.

"Look at you, you look homeless, I'm not trying your crumb cake, get out of my office and get yourself together", says The Owner

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Dejected, Zach throws the bottles back in the knapsack, "I should have cursed him out, talking to me like that, I'm only a kid, I should just go home, no let me go back and get something to eat," says Zach.

When he goes back to the community event, he finds Gregory eating Brendan's crumb cake and dressing the table with a Brendan's Crumb Cake tablecloth.

"Brendan promised me, he said it himself that he'd save me some coconut custard crumb cake and cinnamon raisin crumb cake."

Brendan's wife stashes the crumb cake in a black travel bag and the trunk of Brendan's gray car. She feeds her and Brendan's baby pieces of crumb cake.

"Gregory, you working with the opps?" shouts Zach.

Brendan stops talking and puts the microphone down to check on the situation. He sees that the situation is being handled by Brendan's team so he remains on stage.

"We cool over there, thumbs up, thumbs up, we sure, they're sure, let's continue, you have to believe in yourself and what you're doing, how can you go to the top if you don't believe?" Brendan asks the audience.

Gregory walks on stage and asks the organizers for another mic. They decline. He shouts.

"Don't buy Brendan's Crumb Cakes, he doesn't know how to keep promises. He promised me the brand new flavors that ya'll eating now, I was suppose to get a couple of stacks".

"I can't give you stacks of the product. I run a business. That's inventory. I gave you samples like everyone else, jeez man, you have to be grateful, how much more do you want from me?" asks Brendan.

"A man keeps his word, that's the point and I had a taste for some more of those coconut and cinnamon raisin crumb cakes, I can't even take them to school and let my friends know how tasty and scrumptious they are", says Gregory.

Off stage, Zach talks with the organizers, hoping he would be an exception, that they would supply him with a microphone, so he can say his piece. He gets declined as well. He speaks from offstage. Barely anyone can hear him.

"That's what you get for joining the opps, you was suppose to help out your friend, but you decided to go with Brendan, he didn't listen to my ideas, so what made you think he would listen to you or keep his word, that's what these companies do", says Zach.

The audience stares at Brendan, a couple of boos emerge.

"No boos people, what we have here is a misunderstanding, the young lad misheard me, that's all, it happens, we all had a misunderstanding with a person or people, team give Gregory a stack of whatever he wants, we appreciate all you do for us, how's everyone enjoying the new flavors, we would like for you to fill out a survey, we're always thinking of ways to please our customers, who loves the coconut custard and cinnamon raisin flavor better than the original and the lemon flavor, what other flavors would you like to see in your convenience stores and supermarkets?" asks Brendan.

While, he's talking, flyers are being distributed by a pink haired woman to the seated attendees. Zach takes one.

"Take on darling, we're looking for people to join our team, we make fried crumb cake, we have strawberry shortcake flavor, vanilla strudel, turkey bacon cookie dough and we have cookies too, come check us out, I'm Megan, and your name?"

"Zach".

"Can you help us be #1 on the block?"