Between a shopkeeper and a customer.
Shopkeeper: Come on, sir, What will you like to have?
Customer: What should I purchase? The money in my pocket is limited, but the list of necessaries is very long.
Shopkeeper: Hey! You can purchase every commodity in a small quantity.
Customer: Oh! Even that won’t do. The rates displayed by you are too high.
Shopkeeper: No, no, sir, you can compare the same with rates at other shops.
Customer: What use? Others are no good either.
Shopkeeper: You know, we earn only a nominal profit. We sell some commodities like tea and sugar even at cost price just to maintain our customer-age.
Customer : (jeeringly) I know, every shopkeeper says so. Well, if you don’t earn anything, why should you waste your time here?
Shopkeeper: Look here, sir, just see how much we’ve invested. Then shop rent, property tax, sales tax, inspector’s monthly fees, servants’ salaries, and other sundry expenses. No doubt, we live from hand to mouth; we are only marking time. What else can we do? Salaried persons with fixed salaries are far better off than we.
Customer: Oh, no, no! All right! Leave this self-pity. Here’s the list. Charge only reasonable rates. No fleecing, no underweighting. Only quality goods.
Shopkeeper: Rest assured, sir. You’ll have nothing to complain about. You can even return the goods if you find any unsatisfactory.
Customer: OK, OK. Hurry up please. I’ve other assignments too.
