The Art of Haggling

Posted on Sat 25th Jul, 2020 @ 8:49am by Yuliette Marayan Dr.
Edited on on Tue 28th Jul, 2020 @ 7:58pm

1,098 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Resolution
Location: Brown Sector Deck 2245
Timeline: MD12

The wrapped brick made a dull thud on the counter where the Bajoran woman set it. Yuliette watched her traditional earring’s chain swing back and forth. The woman appeared indifferent, overall.

“That’s a week’s worth of fortified protein,” she said. “Mileage varies.”

Yuliette picked it up and tried to examine the wrapper. The label had so many languages on it and she couldn’t immediately find Standard.

“What’s in it, exactly?”

“You listed no allergens. What does it matter?”

“How do I… eat it?”

The woman chuckled as she processed the card from the library and handed it back with some vouchers.

“What are these?”

“Market vouchers. For approved foodstuffs only. The acceptable purchase items are listed on the back. You are not to sell or trade the vouchers for other currencies or favors. Misuse of the Market Voucher system is illegal.”

“What’s the punishment?”

The woman leveled a glare with a sigh. “Don’t do it. It’s punishable by a fine.”

“Fines. Good luck collecting on that. If I could afford to pay fines, why would I be here?”

The woman sighed. Apparently she’d had her fill of smart-asses some ages prior. “The vouchers are not accepted by all sellers, so you’re going to want to ask before you shop.”

“Thank you.” Yuliette put the brick of unidentifiable protein in her bag and clutched the vouchers.

“Certainly. See you next week. Next in line please.”

Yuliette looked at the printing on the paper Market Vouchers. They had UFP logos and symbols everywhere, just so you wouldn’t forget who you owed gratitude for the charity. It probably made the people who organized the program feel warm and fuzzy. She knew she herself had generally lent support to such things. Wraiths, she’d worked five years in a medical outreach. Why did all of that feel noble, but collecting from it herself feel so abhorrent? Briefly, she considered giving her share to someone else in line. Maybe the woman with the three wailing children or the guy with a cane and a back brace. Certainly others needed it more than she did. But she didn’t give it away. She folded the vouchers into her bag to avoid that temptation.

She kept her hood up and her head down as she explored the vendor stalls. There were so many varieties of fruit and vegetables available. She wandered around one stand and decided in her head what she wanted to try before queuing up for her turn for the vendor’s attention. But every time it appeared as if she might be helped next, he moved to someone else. Yuliette grew frustrated and cleared her throat while someone that had earlier been in line behind her at the Relief Office and had emerged with her own intent to shop, was now helped before Yuliette was. The middle-aged Bajoran took the other woman’s Market Vouchers and handed her a bag for her purchases and then went to the opposite side of the stall to engage someone on the street, intentionally avoiding helping Yuliette who was the only remaining customer.

Yuliette gathered a few things in hand and walked around to interrupt him. “I’m ready to pay.”

The two Bajorans looked at her like she was the infinitely rude one.

She held out her vouchers. “I just didn’t see any prices. If you could total this for me and—”

“I don’t accept those.”

“But I just saw you take vouchers from your last customer.” Seeing his stony expression, Yuliette realized she was going to get exactly nowhere with that and shook her head. “Nevermind. What’s your seed money fee?”

The man crossed his arms. “Latinum or UFP Credits only.”

Yuliette sighed and set down the produce she had gathered on the side of the table.

“Nevermind.”

She walked away, making a mental note that she was not going to be trying to buy from him again. Hopefully there would be someone else that would serve her.

A Bajoran teen manually tugging a cart behind himself rolled through the center of the walk, and shouted. “Roots, shoots, and leaves! From the Ren family to yours! Fresh from the lights into your life!”

“I like your pitch.” She said as she looked at the produce. “I don’t see any prices.”

“Oh, you must be new here. There aren’t prices. You make an offer then we haggle.”

“We haggle?”

“Yeah, so pick something you want first.”

“Do you accept Market Vouchers?” She asked and he nodded. “How do I know what I can afford to pick?”

The young man laughed. “Just start somewhere.”

She picked up a bunch of carrots. “Twenty-five?”

He shook his shaggy head of hair, snorting a laugh at her innocence. Then the young man stage whispered. “Say two.”

“Two?”

“Three fifty.”

“Okay.”

“No.

“Not okay?”

“We’re not finished haggling yet. There’s still room. You should say three.”

A grin grew on Yuliette’s lips. “Two Seventy-five.”

“Now you’ve got it! Two Seventy-five it is. See anything else you like?”

Further playful dickering commenced, during which the young man never once took advantage of her, though her lack of any sense of real prices would have made her a simple target. Ultimately, with a bag full of food and a heart of gratitude, Yuliette resisted the urge to hug the kid for his kindness. Instead she reached into the bottom of her satchel and came up with a carved stone pendant from Rho Saro which she gave to him with her Market Vouchers.

“Please, I want you to have this.”

“What is it?”

“It’s a symbol from a place I come from. It means ‘harmony with the seasons’. I know you don’t have seasons here exactly but—”

“Thank you.” He put the cord over his neck and wore it. “My family farms. We don’t have seasons with a sun, but we have seedtime and harvest just the same. This is perfect.” He handed her a bag which he packed her produce in and reached to shake her hand. "I’m a Ren. Ren Zakiel."

“Yu—” She caught herself before she gave her name. “You wear it well, Zakiel.”

“I like repeat customers. What can I call you when I see you next time?”

Yuliette sighed, trying not to look frustrated or saddened at her need to lie to such a genuine soul. “Neone.”

"Thanks for supporting our family, Neone." He waved as she went. "May the Prophets shine on you!"

 

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