Just remembered a story once told me, of two city slickers who 'invited' themselves onto a homestead in VT (or wherever), chatted with the friendly 'farmer' a bit, accepted the tall glasses of cold lemonade offered by the farm wife and then offended him with a ridiculously low offer on an antique car he had in the barn. The farmer liked the game, (especially if he was from VT), acted dumb and talked those boys ears off, 'till they were more than dying for another glass of lemonade, and sure they had 'scored' a real deal. He sent them packing with the statement: We get Car magazines up here too, boy's. Not very funny, was it? Neither is getting taken. Check out the value of everything before you sell it!

-- Kathy (catfish@bestweb.net), September 18, 2000

Answers

p.s. see 'singer featherweight' post

-- Kathy (catfish@bestweb.net), September 19, 2000.

When I was looking for a new motor for my truck, I happened to stop at a junk yard at just the right time to hear the yard's owner tell somebody less how he got the 39 Ford he had. The car is in near mint condition, he's the third owner and knew both of the previous owners.

When the previous owner died, they had an auction for the estate, including the car. While looking over the car before the auction he heard two guys he didn't know talking to each other. They were saying things like "These hicks don't know what they have, and if they did they couldn't afford it. We'll get this for nothing."

When the auction started the junkyard guy was raising the bid by $1000.00 each bid. The other two guys were raising his bid by $100. "Three." "Three-one." "Four." "Four-one" until he bid "Nine."

The outsiders talked a bit to each other, but didn't top his bid.

As soon as the bidding was over and he had won they came over and asked him what he had planned on doing with the car. He said he pointed to his tee-shirt, with the auto-salvage company's name on it and said, "Well, I'm in the salvage trade. I'm going to part it out. I know one guy who's looking for a door and a fender and another who needs a bumper and this one might fit." He said he looked at them trying to hide their surprise and added "I should get my $900.00 back and still have most of the car left over."

The two guys didn't say a word, but didn't let him out of their sight all day. There wasn't anything else at the auction he wanted, but he kept the two guys busy following him. When he went in to pay they asked the clerk if they could match his bid if he couldn't pay. He said there was no need to worry about that and pulled out a wad of $100's and counted 90 of them out while the two guys stood there open mouthed.

They offered him $10,000 for the car. I won't repeat the exact words he used, but they got a lesson in what happens when you try to get the best of dumb old hicks who don't know what they have or what it's worth.

I'm not saying the story was true, most of what he told me turned out not to be, but the story was worth the time it took to tell.

-- paul (p@ledgewood-consulting.com), September 19, 2000.

I have been in the new/used & abused /buy & sell & trade business for over 35 years now & my parents were in it all my growing up years. I have someone almost everyday of my life think they can pull one over on me!!!! Those I keep on a "Special list"! Those that think they can steal it from me & I don't know what it is worth are a lot of fun to do head trips on if I have the time to mess with them! ha! I have told people to get out of my warehouse--but before they leave I want their name & address so I can remember to never give them the time of day again & I can tell all my friends who are in the same business not to bother with them also! I had one dealer who would not make her check out for the right amount--she would bring several other people to keep me busy & then latier I would realize she had made the check for about half of what she should have! What comes around goes around- -she is not respected by anyone! I called her & told her I didn't have anything worth her stealing from me & going to hell for & if she could not have afforded it I might have given it to her had she really needed it! I keep old cheap lamps around & when someone offers me a stupid price for something--I go over & pick up a lamp & drop it on the floor & break it---& say if it isn't worth anymore than that I'll just get rid of it--they usually flee with a shocked look on thier face thinking I'm crazy!!!! I LOVE IT!!!!! Sonda in Ks.

-- Sonda (sgbruce@birch.net), September 19, 2000.

I'm getting some mighty nasty emails from 'Jane Gauch', about the singer featherweight post, whew!'' She's mad as hell that I posted the the ebay price of featherweight sewing machines. Told me I should mind my own business, well I am minding my business! We're all in this together. The reason I got out of the antigues trade, was I found it hard to sleep at night, when I was a thief by day! Now, lest not forget, that if you happen on an item....and it's a good..price... why not? But you can't bait people, that's just wrong!

-- Kathy (catfish@bestweb.net), September 20, 2000.