"Chuck Gould" wrote in message
...
On Dec 11, 7:01?am, John H. wrote:
On Tue, 11 Dec 2007 09:00:50 -0500, "Reginald P. Smithers III"

wrote:
John H. wrote:
On Mon, 10 Dec 2007 17:37:35 -0500, "Reginald P. Smithers III"
wrote:

http://www.loveandpride.com/Home/Zoo...id=3678&cid=81

Wow! And...10% goes to Lambda Legal. Such a deal!

Did you buy anything for a that special person?

No. My special person prefers Tiffany's, as she told me the other day when
we passed the local one.
--
John H

We shopped at Tiffany's last year. My wife enjoys necklaces and
bracelets, and once or twice a year she considers it a treat to
acquire some upper-end costume piece selling for several hundred
dollars to maybe something just into four figures. She obviously has
humble tastes, or she would never have married me.....

We were out to buy a bauble for some occassion or another, and I saw a
very attractive necklace in the window at Tiffany's.

"That's quite nice, and it would look really good on you," said I.

"Are you nuts?" she replied. "That's going to cost more than either of
us would be comfortable spending. Yes, it's pretty but we need to be
find something closer to our nornal price range."

"There's no price tag, so it wouldn't hurt to ask," I replied.

We went into Tiffany's, and I spoke to one of the salespeople. Maybe I
should have been clued in when I noticed she was wearing probably a
$2000, custom tailored suit.

"I noticed that necklace in the window, and I wanted to inquire about
the price."

I'm pretty sure the salesperson was clued in when she noticed my
frumpy pea coat, thoroughly "experienced" (but clean) trousers, and
comfortable boat shoes. Even so, she was professional.

"Certainly, sir. Allow me to retrieve it from the display case so you
can examine it in greater detail."

Then followed the normal jewelry store drama, with the black velvet
cloth draped across the display case at a point where the lighting was
"just perfect" and the exceptionally detailed explanation regarding
the workmanship, the quality of the gold, the strength of the clasp,
etc, etc, etc, When the two minute schpiel was finished, I still
thought the necklace was extremely pretty.

"So, how much is it?"

The salesperson squinted at some heiroglyphics on a small paper tag.
"This piece is attractively valued at seventeen, sir."

I was thrilled. Turning to my wife, I said "Gee dear, that's about
twice what we normally spend, but I'd like to see you have it and for
something as special as this I think we could splurge."

I had noticed a fancy banner that read, "Holiday Savings", so I asked
the salesperson, "Is seventeen hundred the regular price, or does that
include the holiday savings?"

The salesperson forced a patient, if slightly condescending smile.
"Thousand, sir. That's seventeen *thousand* dollars, not seventeen
hundred."

Several of the normal Tiffany customers seemed to be staring at me
with rather obvious disapproval. Time to be cool......

"Oh, yes. Ahem. Well of course, what was I thinking? Thanks very much
for showing us the necklace, it's extremely beautiful and as you say
it's attractively priced, but an expenditure for something less would
be more convenient at this point in time."

I think everybody knew that by "something less" I meant $15-16,000
less. I wondered if I should have been bowing from the waist as I
backed up toward the front door.

My wife was right, as usual. If I had four times the money I have now,
(in other words, about sixty bucks), I'm not sure my bauble budget
would ever rise to the $17k range. Good thing my wife has humble
tastes.

**************

Now of course, if we were talking about something for the boat, $17k
could be a very reasonable price. :-)


Most jewelry that I give to my wife, shows up in my dresser draw. And when
I ask what is this, she tells me to wrap it for the next giving occasion.
Works well for me.