Throw Your Request Into Oblivion

(It is a few days after the video game collector’s edition of “Elder Scrolls: Oblivion” has released, which came with a metallic replica of the in-game currency the player uses. For fun and added authenticity, I want to get it gold-plated.)

Me: “Hey there, do you happen to offer goldsmithing services?”

Clerk: “Yes! What would you like to get done? We can do gold plating of various fineness for a wide variety of items!”

Me: “Awesome! What would it cost to do a 24-carat plating on this?” *shows her the coin*

Clerk: *frowns in disapproval* “I’m sorry, but we can’t do that. Defacing currency is actually a crime.”

Me: *stunned for a moment* Oh, no worries, this isn’t a real coin. It’s a replica of an Imperial septim from a video game!”

Clerk: *look at me angrily* “That’s even worse! We are NOT going to help you make fake currency! That’s criminal! Get out of here right now before I call the police!”

Me: *shocked in surprise* “But you don’t get it. It’s a fictional coin. It’s from a country that doesn’t exist! It’s from a videogame!”

Clerk: *not listening* “GET. OUT!”

(I left the place dejected and went to another jewelry store where service was much better. The clerk there asked why I looked so worried when asking him for plating and laughed a good deal when I told him the other clerk’s reaction. They gave my coin a flawless job and it looks gorgeous.)