Walking back from the beach this evening, I met one of the Karnatakan clothing & nick-nacks vendors who had hassled me last night. She asked me to look at her shop (which was on the beach front), claiming that I hadn't done so last night. I thought she had told me last night that she was returning to Karnataka today so that last night was her one chance to sell me anything and got very annoyed with what appeared to have been a lie. I told her that while I could see fine well where her shop was, I was going away from it, not into it.
Whose karma ran over my dogma?Tonight a band near my lodging was playing third-rate cover versions of Jimi Hendrix songs - it's painful and shutting the door of my room didn't block it out at all. I fled towards the beach and just happened to pass where the vendor I've mentioned above lives. She asked me to explain why I'd walked away earlier. Her response was that the vendor who left today was Tina (she was Anita) and that I hadn't looked at her wares, despite promising to do so last night. I couldn't deny this was a possibility, because her beach-shop wasn't next to the stalls I'd been led through last night. Anita told me that she had most of her wares in her shop, so I said I would fulfill the promise to look but that I didn't promise to buy anything I didn't want and/or need. The conversation included such delightful exchanges as
How about this bag?
I have two rucksacs - I don't need and can't carry another bag.
What price will you give me?
None - it's not the price that's an issue. I don't need or want a bag.
I'll give you a good price.
Er, you're not listening. You don't need a nuclear reactor and I don't need a bag.
I'll give you a good discount.
and
What will you give me for this?
I already have one of those - it cost Rs100, so if I wanted yours, I'd pay the same.
Ahh but mine's better.
yeah right! I don't mind people trying to make a living out of me. I do mind them them talking crap as they do so.
© (except the blatantly ripped-off bits) Random Bozo 2006