The Little Bargainer

In Singapore I went into a camera shop to buy a camera case. A little girl about nine or ten was taking care of me. I asked her the price of one bag. She said it was 28 Singapore dollars, so I said, "Fine."

Then she said to me, "No, it is $25." I did not pay any attention to her because I was looking at other bags. Suddenly she said to me, "Why are you not buying the first bag? It is only $27."

I looked at her and thought I had made a mistake. Perhaps she had not told me that it was $25. Otherwise, how could it be $27 now? I continued browsing, looking at other bags.

She said, "No, these other bags are very expensive. You take this one. It is $28."

Finally I said, "Am I deaf? How could the price go up?"

The little girl said, "Did I tell you $25?"

I said, "You told me $25, S27 and $28."

She said, "All right, if I said S25, then you can have it for $25."

Then, when I gave her $25, she gave me back a dollar in change. She was great!

-20 December 1987