February 12, 2001

My afternoon, translated:

"Well, don't you look like a puffy geek.  You've got no clue about how a car actually works, do you?"

"I understand the internal combustion engine.  There was this book, with cut-away drawing--"

"So if I tell you the alternator (or distributor or one of those bits -- you're not even paying attention, are you?) is having trouble, you'll have a clue how much something like that would cost to fix."

"Um.  No."

"And if I were to wildly overcharge you, you wouldn't be able to tell?"

"No."

"Except for the vague feeling in your gut that I'm taking advantage of you because I know what I'm doing and you need your car?"

"Right."

"OK, then.  So after I add in the 30 0ummy Fee and the 15% Totally Arbitrary Fee and the 5% Additional Fee Levy Fee, that comes to...  Oh, let's call it $500 even."

"OK."

"On second thought, let's make it $550."

 



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