I was in Naples Italy in 2007, staying at a hotel near the Railway Station.
In the evening I walked around and saw a flea (evening) market. I passed a man selling mobile phones.. just a few on his desk. He called me in his Italian style English.. "Sir, would you like to buy a phone, special price..". I shook my head, showing him my own mobile, "I've got one", I told him.
He opened a box and showed a latest Nokia model, complete with charger and head phones. I thought the actual price was about 150 Euro at least. He put the price at 100 Euro and I said I was not interested.
"Sir, you see here it is still new, complete with manual", he said showing me the small booklet.
He kept offering me to buy and I kept refusing.
He said, " how much you are willing to pay?". I refused to say anything.
He finally said.."OK, you just say how much?". To shook him off, I said, " 20 Euro".
He laughed then said 80, I said 20, he said 60, I said 20 he said 40 and finally 30.. he said he was sorry he cannot go much lower...
Then I thought, if he is wiling to give me the 150 Euro phone for 30 Euro, that is good.. I've got a bargain. So I agreed.
I took out my wallet, dipped my hand into it to take out my 30 Euro. As I was counting my Euros, he ducked down to look for plastic bags. I saw him putting the box into the bag and we exchanged bag with money.
I walked back to my hotel thinking what a good bargain I got today.
Excited, on reaching my room, I opened the box and .....
.... lo and behold...
no phone.. just a 0.5 litre bottle of mineral water ..
Perhaps the most expensive mineral water I ever bought.. :-)
funny story! moral of the story - never engage a street peddlar. just walk away :-D
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