A chara, - My wife took me out to Roches Stores in Blackrock the other day to buy a new jacket. I decided on the first one I tried on. I went to the desk to ask how much would the man take off the £100 marked price. He seemed bemused that I should even ask. He had no authority to deduct anything.
Just then my wife appeared with another jacket which she fancied. I decided to take the two jackets. She added a shirt and tie. Feeling quite confident, I approached the man again. Two jackets plus? No, he couldn't, but he would get the supervisor. No, she had no discretion either. My wife assured me I was getting good value. I didn't doubt her, but where was the fun in buying anything, if you couldn't haggle over the price?
Maybe I should have gone to George in Clery's, who was always game for a bit of fun. But then he is long since gone. Now, when I first went with my brother to sell cattle at the fair in Ballyhaunis . . . - Yours, etc.
Anthony Jordan, Gilford Road, Dublin 4.