Sunday, November 3, 2013

The Motorcycle and the IPad

I was walking along a busy street near the port.  Broken glass was everywhere, but I was wearing flipflops that were given to me by one of my friends at the Lega Navale.  The flip flops chafe.


A speeding motorcycle pulled to a short stop beside me.

“Hello, I sell you this.  You like?”  the motorcyclist shoved an iPad in front of me.

“No thanks.”  I told him.

He thought I was bargaining.  “200 euro.”  He told me.

I balked. “I don’t think so.”

“How much?”  he asked.

“Much much less than that.”  I said.  “Besides, it’s probably stolen and will stop working in five minutes.

“It’s not stolen, you see, it works well.”  He showed me how well it works.  “How much?”

“I’m really not interested.”

“How much?”  He asked me again.

I caved since he said it wasn’t stolen.  “50 euro.”

“Okay, I give it to you for 50 euro.”  He pushed the iPad at me.

I still didn’t want it.  I didn’t think he would agree.  “I really don’t want it.”  I told him.

“How much?”

I think for 20 euro I would have taken it.  “20 euro.”  I told him.

“Hah, next you’ll want me to give it to you.”  He was insulted, the nerve of some people.

I walked away and this time he let me go.

If I were faster at thinking on my feet, what would I have done differently?  I kind of wish I had taken it from him by force and used the information on the iPad to return it to the rightful owner.  Maybe it’s for the best I can’t go back and redo things, but not for the poor fellow who’s iPad was stolen.

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