[HUG ] Re: The Swedish Square
- From: "Stein" <rstein@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <hasselblad@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sat, 1 Mar 2008 08:03:06 +0900
Dear Nephew Bob,
You are quite right - I re-read that sentence and the
import of it was the opposite of what I meant. I blame global warming for my
confusion, plus the effects of a recent by-election and the extra bottle of
beer I won at work. I DO hope the girl can learn how to use the HB and makes
some glorious pictures.
I am also heartened to read on another post that the European Uncle Richard
has the same sort of customers as the Antipodean Uncle Dick - The Benvenutos
- so named after the Italian, Benvenuto Cellini. He was a famous chiseller
too....I am insulated from this a little bit by being a minor employee. I am
not authorised to give large discounts without reference to the shop manager
and he is frequently busy elsewhere. Even when customers cite previous cosy
relationships or fabulous discounts granted by the manager, I can politely
excuse myself.
On the other hand, like Uncle Richard I too have met real ladies and
gentlemen in the shop, and I treasure each encounter with them. Their
politeness and good humour can leaven a dull day, and you find yourself
doing more for them. Would that all our customers were that way.
The customers at photographic swap meets are yet another species. Of course
the Cellini family is well-represented. One expects that, and some of the
dealers at these events seem to relish the confrontation. Indeed some of the
dealers seem to be senior members of the clan.
At last Sunday's market I was baled up by one of the other sellers a half
hour before the opening of the door with an offer on a lens. His offer was
less than half of the clearly-marked sale price. The sale price was moderate
- one cannot ask large prices for aged 35mm lenses. I expected some low
offers but this chap was persistent. He used what might have been taken for
unfamiliarity with the English language to repeat his offer at the same low
figure even after multiple refusals. It was like a bush fly around your
face.
Then the offer climbed slowly, but each time it was repeated in spite of
reminders that the fair had not yet opened and there were 4 hours of selling
time to go. It was only at the sound of the front door of the hall opening
that his hand dived into his pocket, and he peeled the exact asking price
off a roll of bills the size of a hay bale. I was gracious and took the
price and he took the lens and went off muttering something.
As my language skills only extend to English and a smattering of French or
German I have no idea what curse is now on me. Do curses in Mandarin apply
to westerners?
Uncle Dick
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