I can't say I hate authority, I'm OK with it, really am. What I don't like is things supposedly set in stone when you know they aren't. The phrase "That's the best we can do" comes to mind. I do a lot of haggling and bargaining and have my rules in my head. Don't offer less for something unless you're willing to let it go. Don't low ball on every damn thing. It's OK to say NO to someone that is an ass, or even isn't. You don't have to do something just cause someone else says so either, whatever THAT may be at the moment. Garage sales bring out a lot of the best in people, and I'm not afraid to offer $10 on something someone has $15 on, but there are limits, and garage sale etiquette, just like everything else. (Huh, I've drifted in to garage sale stories. I'm gonna write that book, I swear). I've actually been to a sale or two where signs are posted "All prices firm". Kinda not the spirit of things, but I guess you have your reasons! A
coupla stories about bad hagglers:
Story 1: Background: When I did a big company move years ago, they
abandoned a ton of power strips, some really nice surge protector ones, some generic strips. I bet I had 8 boxes of them. I still have a bunch of them, gave a lot away to friends, and sold a bunch at my garage sales. I'd get a box out, slap $3 on each of them and put them all around. Some here, some on this table, some over there. People snapped them up, I bet I sold 30 or more over various sales. If people were looking them over, I'd help. That one's got a long cord, that one is a surge protector, that one is
arranged such that those power bricks fit well, etc etc. I'm a nice guy, I'm helping! $3.00 each is a good deal, it's not the deal of the century ($2.00 would be), but the price is right. So, in the middle of the sale on the first day, 10 strips already sold, some lady comes up with two of them and ***BAD HAGGLE ALERT*** "
Woodja take $1 each if I buy two?". Mentally I say many things, but I nicely say "Well... Nah, I'm
selling them fine for $3 each... it's a good deal. I'll knock off a buck for two" to have her
promptly set them down, turn and walk away. Bye bye unhappy lady!!!
Story 2: Tools. Some men HAVE to one-up you, and then tell you about it. I have a box of tools, misc, $1.00 each. Old man who I recognize from other sales comes up with one screwdriver and says "Would you take a quarter". OK, well, I've seen you before and whatever, this time I'll just take his damn quarter. "Sure". He proceeds to dig in to his pocket and
amongst the quarters, hands me 5 pennies, 2 nickles and a dime. Mini bad form there grandpa, you said QUARTER. I zip it. So as he's counting out the change ***BAD HAGGLE ALERT*** he says kinda slowly "Now.... you wanna know why I zeroed in on THIS particular screwdriver?". Sure I say. "Cause it's a
HUSKY!"
....And your point is?
"Lifetime warranty!
See that nick? (points to a little chip in the tip) I'm gonna take it back to Home Depot and they've give me a brand new one still in the package and I'll put it on eBay for five dollars!" Faster than you could say jack-rabbit, I had him wrestled to the ground retrieved my screwdriver and stabbed in the eye. Not really.
So this leads me to why I really wanted to gripe about. The dreaded notorious Department of Motor Vehicles. Weeks ago I turned in the plates for two vehicles I had sold. Unknown to me, not only do you need the plates, but you are supposed to bring in your registration receipt. I did not, and after waiting for half an hour, just paid the outrageous $2 fee (one per printout) so the lady could click two buttons and print out the info she already has in her computer. Why? I don't know, to file or shred it are the only two outcomes I see. I don't argue, I guess I'm in a good mood. And after being told a check would be coming my way, I left. Now on to the third vehicle, the Toyota I drove to Nevada, the one that Tracy has NV plates on, and she has her NV driver's license, and she brought me back the KS plate so I can turn it in. Yeah, this is me, wanting to save a buck, she forgot the registration, so I had her fax it to me. After waiting for 45 minutes, more than 15 minutes past the wait time the clock says, I'm finally called. I saw other people come in before me that have already left, but no Refund people. A little annoyed, I walk to the counter.
Hi (handing over the plate and the registration)
I'm going to need a Drivers license
(Aren't you a joy! I hand it over)
This is a fax, I'm going to need an original or have to have a dollar to print one out.
You gotta be kidding me. What difference does it make??
It's got to be an original.
If you print one out, that's not the original.
Those are the rules sir.
Well, I think that's a bunch of crap. The info is right there and isn't any different.
You can fill out a comment card.
I will. (So I whip out my dollar and hand it over. It lays there for a second then she takes it. Then she takes my worthless, no good, not adequate enough fax and lays it above her keyboard and starts typing from it!)
Uh... No.... (I reach over and take it) If my fax isn't good enough, you can't use it! (Now I've flustered her)
I was just getting the number
Go print it. You charge me a dollar when I took the time to have the info faxed to me and it's a stupid policy.
She clicks to print and leaves to go get it. I calm a bit. She comes back
You know I'm not upset with you, it's just a stupid policy and I took the time to have my wife fax it from Nevada just so I'd have all the info.
She's silent.... Now did you sell the car?
No, it's now in Nevada with Nevada tags, my wife moved there and sent the old tags back
You can't do that, she's going to have to come in with her Nevada ID and registration.
You've GOT to be kidding me. She's there, I'm here. I've not moved yet. I still own the vehicle. You've GOT to be kidding. You expect her to fly here for a $100 refund?
I'll go talk to my manager.
(You do that)
The story is kinda anticlimactic. She came back and told me to have Tracy fax her NV registration and drivers license to her and she'd process. I got lucky in getting a hold of Tracy quickly and after only waiting for her to finish up the next guy in line, I got my paperwork done and was out of there, $95 promised check in the mail, an hour of my life I'll never reclaim. Funny to me that faxes were OK.
I told her to have a nice day, she didn't acknowledge. Grump.
Look closer, oh I'll do it for you, look below. That's my wagon. Home made for the most part and I forgot it, and Suzie was supposed to go get it out of my garden but had forgotten. 
So yeah, my lovely next door neighbor BRENDA figured since I was gone, she'd help herself! Windmill, wagon, and I've also heard of a few other things that frankly were trash to me, but she JUST HELPED HERSELF! No call, no email, no nothing. Just went over and STOLE them. That's stealing, and trespassing, but mostly FRICKING RUDE! Thanks to Pete, they are in my garage now, I've got a home for the windmill, and the wagon will somehow find it's way home.
Look closer, oh I'll do it for you, look below. That's my wagon. Home made for the most part and I forgot it, and Suzie was supposed to go get it out of my garden but had forgotten. 
