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Furniture Espionage

My parents are in the market for a new kitchen table (moment of silence for the old one).  Their search took them to Furniture Row, and they managed to narrow it down to three choices.  Since they tend to agree on very little, they asked me to come and offer some input.  We went to the first store and were pleasantly surprised to discover the table marked down from the day before.  The second option was quickly dismissed, leaving us with the third option at the place next door -- which turned out to be the exact same table but at a higher price.  Hmmmm, what to do?

The obvious choice was to return to the first store and buy the table at the lower price. However, the second store agreed to do a price match -- with the caveat that we provide proof of the lower price.  How were we supposed to do that without looking like total fluffernuts?  Why not return to the first store and just make the purchase there?  That's when the back and forth began:  we said something, the salesguy went to go pretend to talk to his boss, we waited, the guy came back, and so on.  The only thing that made this little exchange slightly more tolerable was that the chairs were way comfy. 

Finally, sensing he was about to lose a sale, the salesguy offered to go next door and get the dirt himself.  I had to give the guy credit for going above and beyond, although I'm guessing he just wanted an excuse to leave work for a bit (don't we all love a "work" related field trip?).  When he returned he looked unharmed -- no burn marks, no evidence of waterboarding, clothing intact.  Thus, the sale was made and the table should be here in a week.  And all it cost was over an hour of time we'll never get back, a quart of patience, and a little touch of dignity.

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