I'll give you a good price ...

Some people are just down right dishonest in their attempt to take you money.

It was autumn 2004 and I had just moved here from Toronto. In the interest of convenience, I packed and travelled relatively light. I had my discman and earphones but no speakers. So one night, I was wandering around the area by the building where I worked and I walked into one of these no name or generically named camera, luggage, souvenir, electronics stores, kind of looking for a small set of speakers.

I'm browsing beneath the glass of the display cases and the man behind the counter strikes up a conversation with me about the upcoming election asking me who I would vote for. I explain I am not from here and, thus, cannot vote. So he asks, if I had to, who would I vote for. Maybe he was wondering, but I think he was just trying to put me into a comfort zone. He asked what I was looking for and I told him, a small set of speakers for my discman. He shows me this one set. I'd never heard of the brand before. He told me the price. I believe it was pushing 70 bucks but he said he'd give it to me for 40. Now that's a steal of a deal.

Well, after paying for them and taking them home I did a little online research. Those telescoping bass boosting speakers had a suggested retail price 12 dollars. Cue slide trombone.

Don't buy from these places, buy from stores, chains even, that you trust.

fin