The True Price Of Tourism

(I am working at a grocery store where we usually get a lot of tourists. Two men, presumably father and son, walk into the store and buy some items. I ring them up and tell them the price. The father starts to get money out of his wallet when the son puts his hand in front to stop him.)

Father: *in a British accent* “[Son]?”

Son: *with the same accent* “How do you know that that’s the real price? They could be lying.”

(I feel a little offended by that, but before I can say anything, the father talks to me.)

Father: “I am so sorry about this.” *to [Son]* “It’s the actual price.”

Son: “But the tax is included in the price in Britain. They don’t here! How do I know he’s not just pocketing the extra cash?”

(The son sounds frantic now and pulls out a calculator from his pocket that I haven’t seen since the 1990s.)

Father: “I can see the till from here; he’s not scamming you.”

(The son seems relieved and eagerly pays for his items before walking outside chewing on taffy.)

Father: “I am so sorry for this, sir. We just got off the ferry from Salem and a woman at the counter tried selling him a ginger beer for fifteen dollars. I looked there and they didn’t have the prices displayed.”