I bought a few hippos at places where I had to bargain..... it is considered common knowledge, you should not show too much enthusiasm for the object you want to buy, if you do not want to pay too much. In march 1998, I had the chance to use this haggling-wisdom during a real life situation. Rome, Italy… a few days enjoying Italian food, strolling along the Tiber and making wishes at the Trevi fountain. After visiting the Colosseum, I decided to wonder around a bit. And it was then and there, I failed the test.... totally! Suddenly I saw a huge hippo on one of the blankets spread out on the ground.... and before I knew it, I was pointing at it, and a sound escaped my mouth that could easily have been heard in Naples, for sure. The salesman just smiled....."Special price, sister! Only 350 USD!" Pfff..... why does nobody come up with a: what-to-do-when-you-just-blew-it-bargain-advice? For a moment I turned around to restrategize..... when I turned back I saw all the guys (blankets, handicrafts (and hippo) and all) had vanished. I walked on, being a bit sad... but only seconds later “my guy” appeared again... following me, carrying the hippo under his arm and a huge smile...... This would happen a few times more. A daily cat and mouse game with the police. I do not know whether they were illegal immigrants or they did not have a permit to sell things. It took me 3 hours, see him vanish about 5 times and 2 times walking away myself, to eventually pay around 60 USD. During the remainder of my holiday I had to carry this very heavy hippo around, showing it the rest of Rome and Ostia Antica, but I was so happy! I decided to name my new hippo after the Colosseum: Colosseo. I have to admit, Colossal crossed my mind. Not referring to the size, but to the colossal bargaining mistake! I am getting better at casually asking the price of a hippo... but pretending to be not interested at all? I am not sure I will ever manage to do that.
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