One Umbrella
One time in Rome, it started pouring. As I sought shelter, I saw an older man selling one single umbrella. Strange as it was, I needed that umbrella, so I haggled with him and settled on 3 Euro (he had the upper hand in that transaction).
I wandered over to a coffee shop to dry out for a little bit. When I go to leave, the umbrella is no longer in the bucket by the door. Upset at me for being so trusting, I head into the rain again. Guess who I see? The same old man was selling the same umbrella. I try to confront him about stealing back my umbrella, but he claims not to remember our interaction at all. It’s pouring, and I have a number of miles to walk, so I go through the same charade with him again to re-procure the umbrella. At least this time, he took 2 euros.