Photographer
Lovely Day Media
Posts: 5885
Vineland, New Jersey, US
I found a guy selling an office chair on craigslist for $5. The pictures he had showed that the chair is dirty, but I don't really care about that ... it's $5. So I make the arrangements with him to go pick it up (I'm picking up other things in his area so it's not that big a deal to swing by). So I get to his house and he says the chair is in the garage. I go down there, he opens the door and says "this is the chair". I looked at it for a second and then asked "will you accept $3.50"? After about 5 seconds, I couldn't hold it in anymore. I cracked up laughing. I gave him his $5 and left with the chair. Someone has told me this is really rude behavior and one day I'll meet "the wrong person". Is this really rude in your opinion? ETA: When I started laughing, he did, too.
Photographer
KonstantKarma
Posts: 2513
Campobello, South Carolina, US
Some people don't have a sense of humor. I'm like this all the time, with everyone. About everything. Some people won't get your personality, sure, but I doubt you'll get beaten with a ballbat for it.
Photographer
37photog
Posts: 710
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US
I don't think it's rude. Sometimes though, I'm not in the mood for humor, or it's one of those jokes you hear all the time, or are predictable in a "Geee, didn't see that one coming smart guy?!" kinda way. In the back of his mind he mightof been thinking "Haha, now get the F outta my house.". I wouldn't consider it "Rude" though.
Photographer
Accidental Plateau
Posts: 7715
Brooklyn, New York, US
There is too much jokes going around these days. The guy had a chair to unload, was wiling to take enough to buy a coffee, saving landfills, etc., he had no interest in your comedy act. He had no intrest in your witty yuppie/hipster banter. If you have to ask if you were rude, you were.
Photographer
Lovely Day Media
Posts: 5885
Vineland, New Jersey, US
Accidental Plateau wrote: There is too much jokes going around these days. The guy had a chair to unload, was wiling to take enough to buy a coffee, saving landfills, etc., he had no interest in your comedy act. He had no intrest in your witty yuppie/hipster banter. If you have to ask if you were rude, you were. If I had been dead serious and not joking at all, would it have been okay in your opinion?
Photographer
Accidental Plateau
Posts: 7715
Brooklyn, New York, US
Lovely Day Media wrote: If I had been dead serious and not joking at all, would it have been okay in your opinion? When strangers are buying selling, be quick, courteous and to the point. say nothing that is not 1) true, 2) necessary and 3) nice. I buy old stuff all the time and if it is $20 or under I just pay what they ask.
Photographer
Andialu
Posts: 14029
San Pedro, California, US
Accidental Plateau wrote: There is too much jokes going around these days. The guy had a chair to unload, was wiling to take enough to buy a coffee, saving landfills, etc., he had no interest in your comedy act. He had no intrest in your witty yuppie/hipster banter. If you have to ask if you were rude, you were. Really? And to the OP. No, it wasn't rude. I'd get a chuckle out of it if you did it to me. People are too serious....... these days.
Photographer
KonstantKarma
Posts: 2513
Campobello, South Carolina, US
Andialu wrote: Really? And to the OP. No, it wasn't rude. I'd get a chuckle out of it if you did it to me. People are too serious....... these days. +1
Photographer
Evan Hiltunen
Posts: 4162
Minneapolis, Minnesota, US
That you would attempt to barter from $5 to $3.50 shows a sense of humor on your part. Any reasonable person would've understood that. If someone were to get upset in that situation, it just shows how uptight they are.
Photographer
Peach Jones
Posts: 6906
Champaign, Illinois, US
Lovely Day Media wrote: I found a guy selling an office chair on craigslist for $5. The pictures he had showed that the chair is dirty, but I don't really care about that ... it's $5. So I make the arrangements with him to go pick it up (I'm picking up other things in his area so it's not that big a deal to swing by). So I get to his house and he says the chair is in the garage. I go down there, he opens the door and says "this is the chair". I looked at it for a second and then asked "will you accept $3.50"? After about 5 seconds, I couldn't hold it in anymore. I cracked up laughing. I gave him his $5 and left with the chair. Someone has told me this is really rude behavior and one day I'll meet "the wrong person". Is this really rude in your opinion? ETA: When I started laughing, he did, too. It is difficult to tell without being there and experiencing the full context and voice inflection. However, I did not see anything overtly rude. A bit smart-allic, but that was about it
Photographer
Mark Salo
Posts: 11726
Olney, Maryland, US
I don't see this as rude or funny, either one. I see this sort of bartering on Pawn Stars every evening.
Photographer
Andialu
Posts: 14029
San Pedro, California, US
Mark Salo wrote: I don't see this as rude or funny, either one. I see this sort of bartering on Pawn Stars every evening. The humor is that it is dirt cheap and he tried to talk him down further......
Photographer
Lovely Day Media
Posts: 5885
Vineland, New Jersey, US
Andialu wrote: The humor is that it is dirt cheap and he tried to talk him down further...... What I thought was funny was that I asked if he'd take $1.50 less (as if the "extra" money was going to make or break me) and the look on his face. It was obvious he was in weird space and appalled because I "asked" for a lower price. I've seen deer in headlights that look less surprised than this guy. As has been said, though, some people have little or no sense of humor.
Photographer
Accidental Plateau
Posts: 7715
Brooklyn, New York, US
Lovely Day Media wrote: What I thought was funny was that I asked if he'd take $1.50 less (as if the "extra" money was going to make or break me) and the look on his face. It was obvious he was in weird space and appalled because I "asked" for a lower price. I've seen deer in headlights that look less surprised than this guy. As has been said, though, some people have little or no sense of humor. Usually you kid around with someone after you have known them for awhile. This was a one time encounter.
Photographer
Ralph Easy
Posts: 6426
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Woody Allen would have long been beaten to a pulp if he had not been from Hollywood. .
Photographer
Lovely Day Media
Posts: 5885
Vineland, New Jersey, US
Accidental Plateau wrote: Usually you kid around with someone after you have known them for awhile. This was a one time encounter. This matters because .... ??? If I meet a model for a test shoot and that test doesn't go well for whatever reason (especially if she's not a model who takes direction well), does that mean I should be someone else (instead of myself) because I know it's going to be a one time encounter? Is there something inherently wrong with trying to put a smile on someone's face? Just because I don't like a model's modeling doesn't mean they are less human than someone who's modeling I do like. According to Reader's Digest, laughter is the best medicine. I mean ... whether we have a 50 year relationship or a 5 second encounter doesn't matter to me. There is a time and place for everything, but the sale of an office chair is not life or death. No one potentially got killed here. Why shouldn't a little laughter be present? I see people every day who see/feel nothing is funny. They can live their life as they see fit, but with so much negativity in the world, I do what I can to bring a little positive into the mix. If that's wrong, sorry.
Photographer
Accidental Plateau
Posts: 7715
Brooklyn, New York, US
Lovely Day Media wrote: This matters because .... ??? If I meet a model for a test shoot and that test doesn't go well for whatever reason (especially if she's not a model who takes direction well), does that mean I should be someone else (instead of myself) because I know it's going to be a one time encounter? Is there something inherently wrong with trying to put a smile on someone's face? Just because I don't like a model's modeling doesn't mean they are less human than someone who's modeling I do like. According to Reader's Digest, laughter is the best medicine. I mean ... whether we have a 50 year relationship or a 5 second encounter doesn't matter to me. There is a time and place for everything, but the sale of an office chair is not life or death. No one potentially got killed here. Why shouldn't a little laughter be present? I see people every day who see/feel nothing is funny. They can live their life as they see fit, but with so much negativity in the world, I do what I can to bring a little positive into the mix. If that's wrong, sorry. There is a time and place for humor. And I would avoid it when visiting someone's home, someone I just met, and for a one time encounter.
Model
angel emily
Posts: 1020
Boston, Massachusetts, US
Lovely Day Media wrote: Someone has told me this is really rude behavior and one day I'll meet "the wrong person". Is this really rude in your opinion? I can't see anyone getting so upset that they'd punch your lights out, but who knows? It's Craigslist. A more likely scenario is that you might encounter someone someday who doesn't get the humor right away and feels you're backing out on a deal you had previously agreed to and gets pissed -- but could you blame them? Some might wonder....
Photographer
Accidental Plateau
Posts: 7715
Brooklyn, New York, US
OP, someone told you that, and you sense that the guy was put off a bit. This is not only my opinion. Avoid the "inside joke" when it is only you inside.
Photographer
EdwardKristopher
Posts: 3409
Tempe, Arizona, US
Lovely Day Media wrote: I found a guy selling an office chair on craigslist for $5. The pictures he had showed that the chair is dirty, but I don't really care about that ... it's $5. So I make the arrangements with him to go pick it up (I'm picking up other things in his area so it's not that big a deal to swing by). So I get to his house and he says the chair is in the garage. I go down there, he opens the door and says "this is the chair". I looked at it for a second and then asked "will you accept $3.50"? After about 5 seconds, I couldn't hold it in anymore. I cracked up laughing. I gave him his $5 and left with the chair. Someone has told me this is really rude behavior and one day I'll meet "the wrong person". Is this really rude in your opinion? ETA: When I started laughing, he did, too. As long as he laughed, Not Rude. Laugh and the World Laughs with you! :-) Be careful when it doesn't...
Photographer
EdwardKristopher
Posts: 3409
Tempe, Arizona, US
Andialu wrote: Really? And to the OP. No, it wasn't rude. I'd get a chuckle out of it if you did it to me. People are too serious....... these days. Absolutely +1
Photographer
KonstantKarma
Posts: 2513
Campobello, South Carolina, US
I wonder how people with big sticks up their asses get through life. It's hard enough already.
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