VALUE FOR MONEY

New Zealand Listener, Volume 1, Issue 9, 25 August 1939, Page 10

VALUE FOR MONEY

unorthodox-are tremendously worth while, aren't they? Just on the lunch hour I strode into a cheap store in a bit of a hurry. In nea little groups in sloping trays were displayed everything I thought I could ever want for any purpos: And then I saw what I had come for. Behind th counter stood a likely young man with red hair and a lean face. I said, pointing, "I want one of those" -a shoe brush-*" one of those "-a polisher-‘ and one of those"-a tin of polish. S OME city encounters-the chance ones and the "Now, what do I owe you? Sixpence, sixpence, three pence-one and three," and I handed him a two shilling piece. Further down the counter these three things were grouped together in boxes, price 2/-. Slowly the young man picked them out from their separate places. He was hurrying, but not enough. Something seemed to be bothering him. "Look here," he said suddenly, "did you see the boxes?" "Yes, I saw the boxes." He handed me my change, " You save ninepence," he said. I am far from American but it was irresistible. "Shure, I save ninepence!" I answered,

He grinned at that but he went on seriously, " Do you know, you’re the first woman since I had this job who’s come in here and gone past those boxes." "TI only want what’s in them. I can get a box anywhere." But I could see he enjoyed being a bit of a cynic. He looked at me challengingly, "What good will your ninepence do you anyway?" "Heaven knows!" I laughed, "What do you have for lunch?" " Sandwiches. They’re in my pocket. I’m just going off now. .. . Gee, and I’m cold as a frog!" " Over the way," I said, "they have chicken broth and toast-real chicken, hot, with cream on the top -lI’ve just had some. It’s ninepence." I put my two little silver coins back into his hand and made off down the shop. "Hey," he uttered confusedly, and made off, too, behind his counter in an effort to head me off at the door. "Hey, where’re you going?" I stopped. His hair looked rather redder than ever, and there was a scatter of freckles across his nose that made him not a salesman at all but a little boy. He looked so disconcerted that it was my turn to grin. He held out the coins but I ignored them. " To the boot shop next door,’ I said, "to get a box. They burn them. Just the right size."

Anu

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