The Silver Watch

A buyer stopped at a stall on the flea market in Camden. Two old watches sat on a cloth.

“How much for this one?” she asked, pointing to the gold watch.

“Forty pounds,” the stall owner said. “It's an excellent watch.”

“And the silver one?”

“Thirty. Cheaper, but the gold one is better. It keeps perfect time.”

She picked up the silver watch and looked at it for a long moment. “Does it work?”

“Of course. Both of them work.”

“I'll be honest with you,” she said. “I only have a couple of notes and no credit card.”

“How much have you got?”

“Twenty-five.”

The stall owner thought about it. “For you? Take the silver one. Twenty-five is fine.”

“That's a good deal,” she said.

“It's a deal,” he said. “But next time, bring double — and buy the gold one.”