50 Cents

50 Cents

Sat, 16 Sep

Went to Tiong Bahru Market for dinner and in the end, stopped at a roadside shop to eat Shanghainese food instead.

Shopped at an adjacent household store and found the floor wiper that I had really really wanted for the longest time.

My leg has been covered with nappy rash since I moved to the new place because the toilet floor never dried up fast enough. With this little rubber wiper, I could sweep away the bath water after my bath to aid the floor drying.

The entire contraption cost $6.50 and I didn't think it was worth that much. Perhaps $5.80 or so. So I asked the salesgirl if she could give me a little discount.

She said that she isn't the boss and she couldn't make decisions. She also said that it was very difficult to give a discount on such an item. So I asked her, what items can you give a discount then?

That was not altogether tongue-in-cheek because I do see things which I want to buy.

Then, in front of an earlier customer she was serving, she asked, "I can give you a 50-cent discount. You won't want it right?"

I went, "Huh? Of course I would take it. Who would argue with 50 cents?"

The other customer looked in disbelief. Who in the right frame of mind would not want a 50-cent discount? Never mind that it is not much but if you add up all the savings, you'd have some substantial amount!

So she said, "Ok loh. If it makes you happy..."

"Of course I am very happy. How much do you think I was asking for when I asked for a little discount?"