Unfiltered Story #91916

(I’m helping out a friend who is managing a booth at one of the biggest video game swap meets in Canada. It’s pretty busy, and people are offering quite a few high value trades. We have a bin of common, relatively cheap NES games at the front with the most expensive being Super Mario Bros 3 at $30. A kid, about 12, zones in and grabs it as soon as the swap meet opens.)

Kid: How much for the Mario? *ignoring the sticker price on it*

Me: It’s $30, sir.

Kid: Can you do $15?

Me: Sorry, no can do.

(The kid puts it back without saying a word, but he roams around and browses our tables a few more time. Eventually he comes back with a tacky Chewbacca bobblehead that’s probably worth a few bucks.)

Kid: Hey, can you do a trade for this? *waves the Chewbacca bobblehead in my face*

Me: All trades have to go through my boss. I’ll let you talk to him.

Boss: *comes up after a minute* Hey, what do you got there?

Kid: Will you trade this Chewbacca bobblehead for Mario 3?

Boss: Sorry, I’m not really interested in taking toys.

Kid: … so will you trade this for Mario 3?

Boss: Sorry, but no.

Kid: How about if I trade a game with it?

Boss: Depends on what you bring me.

Kid: … what if I trade two games with it?

Boss: It still depends on what you bring me.

Kid: So will you do $15 for this and some games?

Boss: I’d still need to see which games.

(At this point my boss walks away and the kid just gives a frustrated look and wanders off. He came by at least one more time, still holding that Chewbacca bobblehead. I know he’s a kid, but he was still old enough to know no means no.)