No Sub-Price For The Sub-Continent

England, Jerk, Kiosk, Salon, UK | Right | July 4, 2014

(I’m having my eyebrows threaded at a beauty stand I frequent in the middle of the main thoroughfare of our local shopping mall. The business is owned and run by an Asian family, and they offer very competitive prices. They also offer threading for other facial hair. While I’m there, there are two technicians, both young Asian ladies. An older Asian man approaches [Technician #1], who is working on my eyebrows, while [Technician #2] is having a conversation with someone on the phone in her native language.

Man: “How much is it to have my whole face done?”

Technician #1: “£22.”

Man: “I’m Indian.”

Technician #1: “Yes. £22.”

Man: “What? Even for a fellow Indian?”

(At this point, [Technician #2] puts the phone down and says something to [Technician #1] in their language. The Indian man waits, expectantly. She addresses him in English.)

Technician #2: “We’re from Pakistan. £22.”

(The man glares and stalks off before the two technicians burst into laughter. I ask what I’ve missed.)

Technician #1: “We’re Indian.”

Technician #2: “We always get these older guys trying to haggle us down ‘because we’re all Indian.’ India’s a big place, and we have a business to run!”

This story is part of our Hagglers roundup.