What you think others are thinking

My partner and I presented concepts for a new credit card on the 64th floor of a downtown office tower yesterday.

Despite the height, the room had a distinctly clubby feel.

Definitely old money. Probably your old money...from all the interest you've been paying on your credit cards.

Anyway, Canada's big banks have some of the biggest and richest art collections in Canada. There were some real Group of Sevens hanging in the hallways. There was a painting of an old, dead, white dude in our boardroom. The table was an antique that resembled your grandmother's dining room table.

There were four of them and three of us.

One of theirs was a Brit. Suit and tie. Grim expression. He looked like he had been to Eton with Prince Charles.

Throughout our presentation -- which was pretty theatrical, if you want to know the truth -- he sat absolutely expressionless.

We bounced around the room wearing hockey jerseys, showing mood boards, and waxing eloquently about Canada's favourite game.

When it was all over, we looked to the clients for feedback.

And Prince Charles says, "It's so refreshing to see people who just get it. That's one of the best presentations I've seen in a while."

Now I don't tell this story so you can say, "Oooh, looky you. You're so smart and talented," although that would be nice.

Truth is, it wasn't my concept to begin with. I was actually presenting for another writer who is on holiday.

I tell this story because it reminds me that you can never tell what other people are thinking.

Sometimes we react to what we think we're getting back...but we can be way off the mark. The only thing we can be is our own authentic selves and hope for the best.

If we'd modified our performance to suit what we thought he wanted, we would have lost him.

Who would have guessed that Prince Charles was actually having the time of his life?