The Sari Sale - Twist in the Tale

Monday, August 22, 2005

Continued from 'The Sari Sale - Kanjeevarams at a Discount'

UG: A 15000 Rs worth saree at 10000. It’s a terrific deal. But lets get it down further. Leave it to me. Hey C, say how about giving this for 5000?
C : If you want to play jokes, pick someone else. I wont sell this for a paisa less than 10000.

Saying that C starts to leave...
UG: Hey wait! Whats the hurry? OK! I've got a deal for you. Why dont you come with me to Vijayawada. I'll buy all the sarees from you and I'll pay you in cash.
C : No way! I aint coming to any place! If you want to buy, pay cash here and buy the sarees here.

UG tries to convince C but C is unmoved. UG now turns to me.
UG to me: Sir, I think he would sell at less than 10000 if both of us buy from him. Say are you interested?
Me: No, sorry! I dont have any money.
UG: Not even 5000. I have slightly more than 5000.
He shows me some cash from his pocket.
UG: But if only I buy, I dont think he will sell at less than 10000.
Me: Sorry, as I said earlier I dont have any moeny. Besides, even if I had what would I do with Kanjeevarams?
UG: You can gift them to your wife! If you are not married, you can give them to your mother or sister or cousin or anyone!
Me: No!

Meanwhile while myself and UG are eying the sarees, a Passerby (P) passes by us, glances at us, the sarees and says "Are those zari sarees? Are you selling sir?"
UG: No! That Character over there is selling. He says this is original stuff.
P : I am a gold smith! I can tell if its fake or original just by touch.
P feels the zari border with his hands. He then removes his ring from his finger and rubs it on the zari border.

And with an incredulous look on his face says "This stuff looks like genuine. The border is purev GOLD! We bought some of them for our niece's marriage recently. Each one for 13500. How much is he quoting?"
UG: He started with 12000 and is now down to 10000. I asked him to sell at 5000 but he refused.
P : Its a once in a life time opportunity. Sir do you have any money? If we can get him to sell even at 7500, it would be a great deal for us. Look I am interested in buying. Are you?
UG: Heck I am! But I dont have enough money. I own a saree shop in Vijayawada. I came to buy sarees here and I am out of cash.I was just telling this gentleman over here that C would sell at much lesser price if we buy together, but he says he has no money.
P : Ohh! I dont want to in involved in your affairs, but you have my word, the word of a gold smith, that this stuff is genuine.

All this while I was slighly bemused by the whole affair, but the arrival of P seemed too much of a coincidence to me. I politely rejected the offer yet again but my curiosity got the better of me, my bus hadnt arrived, and I had time to kill. So I lingered on.
P : Sir where are you going?
Me: Hyderabad.
P : Ohh! I am also going to Hyderabad. Is this the 10 PM Volvo?
Me: Yeah
P : Great. I am also catching the same bus. Look, I have only 500 with me. And I am very interested in this stuff. I can understand that you dont want to buy it. Fair enough. But if you have some cash, could you please lend it to me? I will return as soon as we return to Hyderabad. I stay in Secunderabad close to the Railway Station.

I am already shaking my head.
P : Look, I know you find it hard to lend money to strangers. But you can trust me on this. Besides if you feel uncomfortable to come to my house in Hyderabad, I have a solution. I will call my brother right now and I will ask him to get the money straight to the Bus Station. As soon as we get down I will pay you the cash.
Me: I would have done that if I had any money on me. Unfortunately I dont have anything.
P : Thats really sad. It was such a deal! Now I am not so sure C would sell one saree for 5000. Anyway lets try.

P and UG call C and haggle with him over the price. C is unmoved and they give up. C picks up his stuff and disappears into the teeming crowds.
P : He isnt coming down from his lofty perch, the idiot. Like this he wont sell many sarees. Are you sure you have made up your mind? I cant believe you are letting such a golden opportunity pass by. Anyway, I have to take leave now.

Saying that he leaves. No mention of the 10 PM Volvo both of us are supposed to take.
UG : I must also leave now.
Me : I will come to your shop in Vijayawada sometime.
UG : Definitely!

I am now left alone. My bus hasnt arrived yet. Sitting down, I chuckle to myself! What a bunch of cons! I pat myself on the back for not falling for their con job. Thinking back I dont realise when I first got the doubt. Definitely not when C approached me. Not when UG chatted up with me. Probably when UG said both of us would buy and C would give a discount. But it was reinforced when P butted in. Now that was too much of a coincidence!

A case of too many cooks spoiling the broth? Rather, a case of too many cons spoiling the job!

It started with a bang, but ended with a whimper. Once they realised I wasnt going to part with my money, they quickly wound up the game and scattered. Its about 15 minutes since C, UG and P departed. I am still shaking my head thinking back to it, when, from the corner of the eye I think I spot someone familiar. He is about 100 metres from me. From where I sit, I cant see him clearly, but I remember the ridiculous shirt he was wearing. Its not C, rather its UG, with C's bag of sarees!

To Be Continued....

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hello!

Just came across your blog. I intend to bookmark it to come to and check out in the future.

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Rachel

Anonymous said...

Hi Satya,

Great to see that you have finally found a way to make use of your T.O.M.B. (Time on miserable bench).

Though I had already heard this story from you, must say that it was much more fun reading. Also liked the way you have presented - as a dialogue.

I only hope that the tone with which you have started remains all-through and we get to read more and more of stuff like this. I am pretty confident there is no dearth of 'Characters'. I only wish you infuse a few punchy stuff to make the reading more interesting !

Reading this also made me think "Heck! Even I can publish my Eskimo series!". Might do that one day.

Until then ALL THE BEST
and Ohh!!, before I finish "Hey Rachel!! How you doin'!!!" :-)

Suren