"Eye Contact"

A few weeks back when Claudette and I were at the hockey game in Montreal she gave me shit for what she considered rudeness to the hawkers trying to sell you stuff. What she was commenting on was the fact that I completely ignored them, refusing to even make eye contact. Until she mentioned it I really never realized how cold I had gotten in this regard. I do acknowledge that it is the height of rudeness to refuse to even look at someone who has spoken to you. I knew right away however why I am like that, and you may have even guessed that it is because of my overexposure to street vendors and beggars over the last several years. Making eye contact is the first step in a discussion, and I have learned that in most situations, discussions with the aformentioned vendors inevitably leave me poorer....not just in dollars and cents, but also in seconds and minutes. They take up your time with the intention of trading it back to you for your money.

Check this out.



My precious wife with her eye contact morality would never ever get out of here, and if she did manage to escape at nightfall (assuming they ever close) we would have to re-mortgage our home to pay for her purchases. Three floors of stalls, selling everything from silk scarves and pearls, to gun scopes and switchblades.

I went by myself today for the first time and it was a learning experience. Despite initially looking forward to it I found myself a bit overwhelmed when I got inside. One guy actually followed me down the hallway desperately trying to get a counter offer out of me on a teapot I was only mildly curious about.. I ended up leaving without any purchases despite my original intent to pick up something for my grandchildren.

But I think I have puzzled out a strategy for next time and will give it a go in another day or so. Generally it means avoidng eye contact until such time as you want to enter into a negotiation. And never, ever asking the price of something until you find an item that you would truly consider buying. Asking the price sets off a converstion that can only end in you having to be very, very rude, or in a purchase. I think that is the mistake I made with the teapot guy. Wish me luck for next time.

Oh and I figured out why they use calculators to tell you the price they want.  It is so that other buyers and other vendors are not privy to the negotiations. Makes sense eh.

Speaking of my precious wife, did you find it as amusing as I did that she posted a comment about waking up and missing me, at the end of a blog in which I referenced e'r'ections?? I better get home before the feeling passes. :)

(swim 45 mins)

...and what about this simple, beautiful quote...

"I cannot afford to waste my time making money."---Louis Agassiz

Love
Peter