This morning after I had some time to myself I walked out to
shop at some of the street vendors. I
stopped to buy at one of the booths and started bargaining with the lady. I started out really low and she started
really low. I was willing to pay 15, but
wanted to see if she would go for 10.
She kept saying 15. I started to
walk away and she asked me to come back, so I walked back and she said 25. Of course I refused and asked why she raised
her price instead of lowering it. She
would not lower it even when I offered to pay 15. She was laughing with me until I kept saying
15. Then she started yelling at me in
Chinese and went at my neck like she had a knife in her hand and was going to
cut my neck. Her face was full of such
anger that I knew I would not get her down any more, so I left. Looking back I
think when she was saying 15 she meant to say 50. What a frustrating job it must be to work as a
vendor. They are at their booths from 10 am until after 10 pm. All day they deal with tourists that
seemingly have a lot of money to blow, yet they try to pay so little for the
goods being offered. Many of the vendors
have a good time and joke around as they bargain, but some seem a little bitter
and I can understand why. The job is all about arguing.
We met as a group for morning prayer time, but I could not
stop thinking about the lady and how angry she was. The idea popped into my head to take her tea
or something, but I worried that if the food was not sealed she would think I
did something to it. So this afternoon I
bought so iced tea and crackers and walked to her booth.
I approached her and said, “Remember me?” She grabbed the items we had been bargaining
over and said, “Twenty five.” I said no
I don’t want to buy anything I just want to give you this. I handed her the bag. She looked inside then said, “Sorry, sorry,
sorry.” Then she said. “Thank you…okay
15.” I told her I did not want to buy
anything, but just wanted to make her happy.
She grabbed my arm and tried to get me to buy again and I was tempted
due to the price, but wanted her to know that I really just wanted to make her
day rather than get a good price. I
again told her I wanted to be happy and again she said sorry as her eyes
watered. I walked away leaving her at
her booth with a confused look on her face.
