Julie says her dad has a way of making others feel good, of making them comfortable. All right, that I know from personal experience. She says he's always respectful of other people's time (asking, "Is this a good time to talk?" or saying, "I'm sure you're very busy, so I won't keep you; I just wanted to ask …"). She says he's incredibly persuasive. Indeed.

Then I appeal to Amy Stark. How does your dad do it? "People negotiate every day of their lives," she says sagely. "The difference between most people and my father is that he does it with heart."

She says he reads people extremely well. He cares about helping people get the best solution they can. He loves to make people laugh.

And, she adds, he's creative and strategic. But so am I, and Sears has never handed me a TV the size of a Lichtenstein at $1,000 below retail.

So I go back to Allan himself. I ask again why he's so good at negotiating. He talks about loving his job, enjoying people, and so on.

Then he says, "There's a fine line between persevering and being a pain in the butt."

Allan believes he has a built-in sensor for the perseverance-pain line. He knows, intuitively, when he's just one step away - and that's where he stops. So people like Levine and Brown take his calls willingly, and, knowing he'll call again, bringing them more business, they'll give him a deal.

Sounds easy. Maybe easier than it is. But Julie says watching her dad in action is a short course in efficient deal making. Even some of his clients have written to say they've negotiated better because of him. "He lives to get those e-mails," she says.

Does he? Or does he live to get the call from someone like Mindell, who thinks he's negotiated the best possible price but is contacting Allan just to issue a dare: I don't believe you can, but go ahead, make my deal.