Yesterday over lunch, a friend recounted to me how she was 'coerced' to buy an item from a pushy street Vendor when all she was doing was asking if the price was still negotiable. Me: Why did you let him bully you into buying? She: I got so nervous when he gave me THAT stare after I said I changed my mind... Me: What kind of stare? She: You know, the I'mgonnaslapyousilly kind of stare.... like I wasted his time or something. Me: Oh, I thought it was one of those Iwannaf**k you kind of stare..... *sniggers* She: *whacks me* Shuddup you asshole.... I'm still traumatised y'know. Me: Just kidding, ok? Anyways, that reminded me of a similar situation I was into many years ago. It was in 1998 I think, at the time I had to go up north in the 'city of pines' on company business. I decided to take one of those airconditioned buses instead of driving for 5 hours alone, and grab some sleep along the way. Departure time was still 30 minutes away but rather than wait inside the lounge, I opted to wait inside the bus where it's cooler, while I go through my schedule on my Palm Pilot ( Yes, I used to have that too) . I chose myself a window seat, got comfortable and started fiddling with my PDA when I noticed a woman approach me. She was carrying a basket full of ice cold coke in cans, must be one of those vendors I thought, when she suddenly dumped a can on the empty seat beside me. ( Conversations/arguments were in Tagalog) Me: (What the hell?) What's that for? Vendor: *nodding* It's ok .... Me: It's ok??? What do you mean it's ok? Vendor: *still nodding* Just take it... Me: (WTF??) I'm not buying it, I'm not thirsty..... *Starts fiddling with PDA again* Vendor: Don't worry about it... Me: I'm not interested... Vendor: It's ok, I'll just leave it here.... Me: *Shrugs* *Still fiddling with PDA* Fine, fine you do that.... After that, she left and I continued with my work and forgot about it. Around 10 minutes later she came back. Vendor: That'll be xxx pesos. Me: WHAT??? I didn't even open the damn thing! Vendor: But you accepted it... Me: (WTF??) I never accepted it, you left it here on the empty seat beside me.... Vendor: * Getting angry* But you said fine.... Me: Yeah, just to get you off my back! Vendor: Then that means you brought it! Me: No, that means you're STUPID!!! Vendor: Are you going to pay or not? *Giving me THE stare* Me: You threatening me?? Vendor: I'll call the cops on you.... Me: Yeah, you do that. Go ahead and call the cops on me. Don't worry, I won't go anywhere..... After that I continued with what I was doing, trying to keep myself busy. She promptly took it and left in a huff, yelling "putang ina mo!" (Roughly translated, " You son of a whore") as she was getting off the bus. To which I replied; "Yeah yeah go find some dumb shmuck to cheat, you bitch!". Geez, she must have thought she could use that 'hard-sell' technique on me..... I slept peacefully all the way to Baguio City after that.........