A friend once told me about one of his brother’s exploits, for which he was quite famous. The fellow was endowed with courage and style, as well as with business acumen. As far as I remember, he was the director of one of the most successful Slovene firms in the late 1970s. One day he was invited to a prestigious gathering of European business leaders. It took place in Stockholm. The meeting started with great pomp, but it soon became clear that no-one felt comfortable enough to speak squarely about the problem at hand, which escapes me now. After an hour or so of unproductive discussion, my friend’s brother raised his hand. When he was recognized by the chair, he got up, delivered a sonorous fart, bowed, and sat down. Having recovered from the initial shock, all the present burst into laughter. When the uproar subsided, the discussion acquired a very different tone. The gathering turned out to be a resounding success.

Addendum (November 23, 2016)

To my chagrin, I cannot remember my friend’s name, let alone his brother’s, but I do remember the name of the Slovene firm in question. It was Elan, which was quite famous in the manufacturing of sporting goods, and especially skis. Later on, it became famous in the manufacturing of yachts, as well. To the best of my knowledge, the firm is still doing well with a wide variety of sporting goods. Returning to the story, I tell it whenever an opportunity arises, and it is always accepted with relish. People do understand that a well-delivered fart can do wonders. But I always make sure that my friends and acquaintances appreciate the courage involved, and not only with respect to the audience’s reaction. Delivering a boisterous fart requires a masterful control of one’s asshole. It could easily end up in disaster, that is. To my joy, this embellishment of the story is regularly met with quite a bit of silent nodding. Asshole control is among the finest arts, no doubt whatsoever.