There’s a story I love to tell about a young couple on their honeymoon in Jamaica.
They were walking through a town near their resort when they were stopped by a local man trying to sell them two small wooden statues.
“$75″, the vendor announced. “No thanks”, said the young man.
“$50!”, the vendor replied. “No, really. No thank you,” said the young man trying to be polite.
“$35″, the vendor sighed, as if he was offering a great bargain. “Well…I don’t know,” the young newlywed stammered.
“What is your name, and your wife’s?” asked the vendor. Without thinking, the groom gave up the information, and 60 seconds later, their names were engraved on the statues.
“$35?”, the vendor repeated, as if a deal had already been struck.
The young man, feeling as though he ought to buy the statues now that their names were on them, gave the vendor $35 in exchange for the stupid pieces of wood.
Almost 10 years later, the not quite-so-young man still has the statues…
…and every time I go to throw them out, I remember this story and I decide to hold on to them. As much as they embarrass me, they are a good reminder that sometimes I just need to say “No” and walk away. I’m still not where I need to be with that, but I’ve come a long way from being manipulated into buying two blocks of wood for $35.
What about you? Are you good at saying “No” or is this a lesson you’ve had to learn the hard way as well?
Posted by Bryan Allain
When the man with the dark mustache came to the playground and told me he’d lost his dog and asked to get in his car and help him find the dog I said “NO!”, “stranger means danger”.
jon, you are the exact opposite of me in terms of what this post is about. you are the master of confrontation and holding your ground. I still laugh every time I think about you complaining to the manager at the cafe in Lancaster that the person who took your order laughed at you while they were taking it. Meanwhile, the laugher is standing right there hearing it all. Way too confrontational for me…gave me chest pains. I couldn’t even stop a Jamaican shyster from stealing $35 from me.
good call on the mustachioed man at the playground. that wouldn’t have ended well for you.
I’m getting better at this as I get older. I just said no to doing a preschool class at our new church where I care very much that people do not think I am a lazy pewsitter. I am NOT that, but I know I would be bad in that job… so I said no even though I’m not really doing anything else yet. Do I worry about what they think? Oh yeah. I just try not to think about it.
I would have paid $50 for those beauties!
No
I probably would’ve paid the $35. [Is this a sly way of announcing that it's your anniversary?]
$35 doesnt seem like much these days, but 10 years ago to a guy not making a whole lot of money with school loans and a new wife, it was a bit embarrassing.
and the anniversary isn’t until August. exactly 6 months from Valentine’s day, actually.
why would you ever go to throw those out. they have so much sentimental value.
i know…i guess it’s just that the instant i paid for them i was so unamused with myself. needless to say, Erica didnt quite understand why i had given $35 of our money for them. i got over it and we laughed about it, but i always sneered at those things when i saw them because it reminded me of how dumb i can be. but yeah, at this point they’re probably here to stay.
Sometimes strangers have good candy.
So I was going to go and add that anniversary factoid, Bryan, to my Address Book and iCal, and then I realize … already have that in there.