Even though Wallace owned it, some days he was surprised that a vacuum store was still humming. In a world of online shopping, big box stores and robots, why would anyone need to go to a store that sells vacuums?
The customers varied. Some were commercial cleaners looking to buy top-of-the-line machines. Others had OCD about cleanliness and wanted to know which vacuum option was best. These people often had five or six vacuum cleaners. One guy was still a door-to-door vacuum salesman and worked with Wallace to get the best deals for his customers. Then there were the people who just really liked vacuums.
Of all the customers, one stood out more than anyone.
The customer walked in and said, “I’m a tech bro.” He wore black pants and a black shirt and did not comb his hair. He tried to project an air of eccentricity, but it seemed to mask a lack of sleep and a slight insecurity. When he spoke, he almost yelled.
“I’d like to find a vacuum big enough that I could go inside and hang out,” the tech bro proclaimed.
Wallace was quiet for a long time. He felt his brain short-circuiting. Then finally he said. “Why? For YouTube views or something?”
“No,” the tech bro said. “For ideas.”
“I still don’t get it.”
“I keep coming up with great ideas, but then other people steal them. So I need to come up with ideas in a vacuum so that no one can steal them.”
Wallace shook his head. “No idea comes in a vacuum.”
“Well, why do you think that is?” the tech bro asked, genuinely puzzled.
Wallace pointed to a vacuum. “You see that purple model. Its hose section was inspired by this vacuum, and its bagless system was developed in a completely different model (this orange vacuum). You need inspiration to come up with ideas. That can’t happen in a vacuum, even for a vacuum.”
“Don’t you think I could get inspiration all day and then think in the vacuum?” the tech Bro asked.
“There wouldn’t be any air,” Wallace said.
The tech Bro stared at him, dumbfounded by this revelation.
“Would you like to buy a regular vacuum cleaner?” Wallace asked. “Maybe you can ideate while you vacuum. The humming sound might help you think.”
“I’m a minimalist,” the tech bro said. “I can’t hold onto extra stuff.”
“How dirty are your floors?”
“They’re pretty bad.”