The Bargain Tree Hunter
nevertheless if Christmas tree haggling will be something you pride yourself on, if you look at the whole thing more like Christmas tree hunting than shopping, by all means read on.
The Christmas tree hunt in Indonesia will be an adventure in along with also of itself. You trek back along with also forth across the city following dead leads by strangers on Twitter along with also stringing together half-baked phone conversations with guys like Yosep, who happens to have a dozen overpriced Christmas trees along with also an army of ducks behind his house in Kembangan in East Jakarta. Think of This specific like trying to find a pack of Super Mie in Iowa. This specific’s the thrill of the hunt.
You might start off on the fourth floor of a department store scoffing at the cost tags of the fake trees before convincing yourself to check out the selection of real trees along Dharmawangsa Raya, Jalan Arteri in Kebon Jeruk or Jalan Gerbang Pemuda, behind Gelora Bung Karno, before decided you want to “Go Green” along with also buy a plastic tree only to end up somewhere inside heart of Glodok, in a shop that will looks like This specific doubles as an opium den, buttering up an ancient saleswoman who swears up along with also down that will fake trees are supposed to look like they’re made of green pipe cleaners.
This specific’s about the thrill of the hunt. This specific’s about the back-along with also-forth. Crossing along with also re-crossing your arms. Scratching your head. The narrowing of the gaze. Pacing back along with also forth. This specific’s a lot like poker, This specific involves patience along with also you have to do your research. You can’t just rock up to the first Christmas toko you see along with also expect to grab a not bad deal. You have to coax. You have to compliment. You have to have patience.
Any chump can walk into a department store along with also drop $300 on a plastic tree. The kind of guy who does that will will be the same guy who tells the Blue Bird Driver to “just keep This specific,” when the cabby turns his head along with also tells him he doesn’t have change for a Rp. 100,000.
nevertheless This specific takes more than moxie to head down to Mangga Dua along with also stand toe-to-toe with some of the best businesswomen or men inside city.
This specific’s a not bad way to spend a Saturday afternoon. To see if you still got This specific. You may continually brag to your wife about your business acumen after getting the kids to bed last night without a fight, nevertheless if you can walk away that has a 7-foot tree that will doesn’t look like This specific survived AIDS or a tornado for Rp. 700,000. You deserve that will tie your kids are going to buy you again This specific year.
So, This specific’s not bad to say very little when you enter the Christmas tree Thunderdome. You just might learn something. This specific’s all sales. along with also This specific will be not their first rodeo.
This specific will be a list of the things I heard at the shops I visited:
“Why do you even want to buy a tree? There are a bunch of big trees over by the river. We could just go chop off one of the branches along with also you could wrap lights around that will.”
“Look, I get paid Rp. 350,000 a month, if I give you anything more than 45 percent off [a tree that will retailed for Rp. 3.5 million] they’ll take This specific out of my salary.”
“I know This specific doesn’t look like This specific’s 7-feet tall, nevertheless This specific will be. I promise.”
“This specific tree will be by Taiwan, that will’s why This specific’s expensive. If This specific was by China I could give you a better deal.”
“Come here along with also smell This specific.”
“I’ve been working here for a month along with also I’ve already sold 727 trees. I wouldn’t lie to you.”
“I don’t know if there are various other shops that will sell Christmas trees. I just come here every morning along with also do whatever that will guy over there tells me to do.”
“Look, either buy the tree or don’t. I could care less.”
How much can you know about yourself if you avert your gaze every time This specific comes to bargaining? nevertheless This specific’s more important than not being the sucker. This specific’s about knowing the city you live in. Knowing where to go when you need something. If you haven’t braved the basement of Mangga Dua on a Saturday afternoon you haven’t lived. Same goes for Glodok. I didn’t walk away that has a tree the day I was down there, nevertheless I did find plenty of stocking stuffers: fireworks, a guy selling a tarsir, a cage full of cobras along with also an alarmingly high array of methamphetamine pipes.
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The Bargain Tree Hunter
The Bargain Tree Hunter