Lamp discount?

February 21. Day 236.

On our way to tennis this afternoon, Mr. A and I drove past a yard sale. I've inherited my mom's rummage vision (the ability to sweep over the contents vast lawns and parking lots in order to ascertain the buyability of products contained therein while speeding by in a moving vehicle), so the moment after we passed I said, "Stop! Can you pull over?"

"What?"

"I just saw a lamp."

He stopped the car and I sprinted out.

It had an elegant line, Chinese cloisonne base, with black enamel and a gold filigree pattern.

"It's real gold," the woman told me. I didn't believe that, but I did like the lamp, and its story: her grandmother bought it as a vase in China about 40 years ago and then turned it into a lamp.

"How much do you want?"

"Make me an offer." (Interesting strategy. She doesn't sound anxious to sell it. Rather, thinks she can guilt me into over paying. Is this a good strategy to remember, next time I have a garage sale or sell anything at all? Open a restaurant where people name their prices? Let guilt and a sense of civic/consumer duty work their magic? Hmmm...)

"Hmmm... this is tough... it's a garage sale, not a store, so I'm tempted to give you... $20?"

"Ok."

I instantly regretted it. Garange sales are about cheap steals! She accepted my first offer! I walked right into the trap. Poorly played, Roxy...

That's where Mr. A came in.

"Wait, sorry -- I need to consult with my boyfriend. What do you think?"

"It's old and dented... You're the decorator, you know what's a good value and what's not, but I'm not crazy about it."

"You think $20 is too much?"

His face showed it was obvious he did. Or at least, he was playing bad cop to my good one...

"He thinks $20 is too much. Could we make it $15?" I asked her now.

"Sure."

Gained: $5, sort of. I'll put a picture up once I add the bulb and set it up.