Ralph On Fire - The Bargain
It was the middle of the afternoon and I was setting in bar in Idaho, sipping on a cold beer. The female bartender was a nice lady with long, flowing blond hair, and an enchanting smile. After fourteen days on a fire, any smile from a member of the opposite sex was enchanting. She smiled when I said, “Sure you can, it’ll be fun and nobody has to know. . . .”
Our fire crew had been on the forest fire for the past fourteen days. After fourteen days on the fire line, you got a day of R & R, rest and relaxation. The crew had been in town since mid morning. We checked into the hotel, cleaned up, and hit the town. Some crew members were in the bar, some were sleeping, and some wouldn’t be seen until the bus headed back to the fire. It didn’t matter it was a day off the fire line.
At the bar, the beer was cold and the female bartender was friendly. But, she wasn’t a push over either; she had been down this road before. She looked at me and said, “I don’t know if I should.”
“It would be a good thing to do,” I countered
She hesitated before saying, “I know but usually it’s $45.”
I smiled at her and said, “I know it’s usually $45 and well worth it. But the crew and I have been here for fourteen long days. We came from Colorado to fight that fire. Without us, this town might not be here. Without us, the entire state of Idaho might have gone up in smoke. I think you can do it for $25.”
She brushed her blond hair off her shoulder and smiled at me. “Sure you can, it’ll be fun, and nobody has to know,” I said. She came over and said, “Okay, but don’t tell anybody.”
Walking out of the bar, I was ecstatic. I had purchased a folding Old Timer knife with a sheath for only $25.
Our fire crew had been on the forest fire for the past fourteen days. After fourteen days on the fire line, you got a day of R & R, rest and relaxation. The crew had been in town since mid morning. We checked into the hotel, cleaned up, and hit the town. Some crew members were in the bar, some were sleeping, and some wouldn’t be seen until the bus headed back to the fire. It didn’t matter it was a day off the fire line.
At the bar, the beer was cold and the female bartender was friendly. But, she wasn’t a push over either; she had been down this road before. She looked at me and said, “I don’t know if I should.”
“It would be a good thing to do,” I countered
She hesitated before saying, “I know but usually it’s $45.”
I smiled at her and said, “I know it’s usually $45 and well worth it. But the crew and I have been here for fourteen long days. We came from Colorado to fight that fire. Without us, this town might not be here. Without us, the entire state of Idaho might have gone up in smoke. I think you can do it for $25.”
She brushed her blond hair off her shoulder and smiled at me. “Sure you can, it’ll be fun, and nobody has to know,” I said. She came over and said, “Okay, but don’t tell anybody.”
Walking out of the bar, I was ecstatic. I had purchased a folding Old Timer knife with a sheath for only $25.
posted by Ralph at 7:03 PM
10 Comments:
Ralph, you sly dog you!
Are you sure she was talking about a knife?
Ah, but perhaps she had only paid $10 for it herself. *G*
This comment has been removed by the author.
Sorry - previous attempt somehow included half of my password. Now figure that one out!
What I said was - I wonder whose knife she sold you! And how she was gonna explain that one! :-D
Are you getting into writing for Playboy these days?
Fun story, Ralph.
I guess $25 was a good buy. You kind of cheated her out of more money by wearing her down and using your hero status on her.
You still have that knife Ralph?
I wasn't sure where this story was going but I knew it couldn't be bad, because Char would hurt you otherwise!!!
I remember the time I went into an Idaho bar for a cold beer. A pretty girl came up to me and said, "Mister, if you can say it in three words or less, I'll do it for $100."
Hmmm, I thought. Then I smiled and winked. I handed her five 20s. She smiled, playfully cocked her head to one side and flicked those eyebrows at me. Then I cheerfully said, "Paint my house."
Where is your wife?
Nothing better than a true story with a twist... all that and a bargain! ...Deb
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