Urban Saboteur
08-17-2008, 08:19 AM
Before I begin. No flame war or malicious intent is intended and the story is entirely fictional. The reason I posted this up is just for general fictional reading and feedback. I don't set this story by any one person. Rather a selection of past experiences to tell a small story.
I hope you enjoy reading it.
Scalpers Story
The message on his cell phone was loud and clear, "I've got a job at Wal-Mart!" Simon was instantly jealous. He knew that his friend Daz had only got the job for one thing..
Action Figures.. and all the best ones! he'll be calling me up constantly now offering me all the best ones and chasers at scalper prices. Being a Scalper himself Simon didn't want to be caught tasting his own medicine.
A few days pass and he gets a call sure enough from Daz. "Listen dude, you got to drop by here this afternoon, my Supervisor says something huge is happening here at the store and all the Area managers and directors are meeting up at a hotel. This place is going to be very lax and I can show you some crates and new stuff that we have coming in".
Despite his thoughts Daz was just helping out a friend, and really knew that deep down, Simon would appreciate the offer. He kind of remembered the look that Simon got when he saw a crate of new arrivals; he looked like a mixture of a kid on Christmas day and a stockbroker who'd just made a million.
At around 2-o clock, the door clicked at the guest entrance and Daz stepped out to let him into the Building. "You have to see this new stuff that they got in, it's going to be huge. There is a problem though" explained Daz.
"A problem" asked Simon. "Yeah, don't take every best one and chaser, because it's my nephews birthday tomorrow and my auntie is dropping by to get him this figure" Simon looked and Daz was pointing to the next chaser in the line. As soon as he done this. Simon could see the $ "I can't wait to haul this lot up on e-bay. I'll get a mint for it all" Daz looked concerned. "Yeah you'll get quite a bit for the chasers; you will leave one of them out to be put on the shelf though? Don't come back, because I'm going to be putting this behind the others"
"Yeah mate, not a problem, hey we've all been fans of this stuff and been a kid right?"
The next day Wendy and her nephew Josh decided to head out to get his birthday present, the latest in cool action figures from a program that already caught Josh's attention, the cartoon and figures had taken him away from videogames and encouraged him to use his own imagination. They got to the toy aisle and found the set-up, however the one Josh wanted wasn't there.
Josh began crying he'd be using his own birthday money to buy this figure and had waited nearly two weeks for the release. "Oh don't worry, I'm sure we can get him on the computer" she tried reassuring him, and a dejected mother and son began to leave. Suddenly she bumped into her Brother "Hey Darren, I thought you said you was going to leave Josh, one behind the peg (she winked) at him"
"Oh yeah, I did, wasn't it there?" Quizzed Daz.
"No" explained Wendy.
"I just told him we’d have to get it on the computer at home, although it's going to cost us double or even more wont it" said Wendy.
"Yeah, yeah it will" said Darren.
"What's wrong" asked Wendy?
"Oh it's just, I did leave you one of those characters, and it looks like someone got here before you. Someone that also wanted him as badly" explained Darren.
After a disappointing day. Darren went home and tried calling Simon, if he could he'd try his best to get his nephew one of those figures back, he'd explain the situation to him.
"Hello Simon, it's Darren, yeah. Listen I need a favour." As Darren explained his predicament. He got into a heated discussion; Simon wasn't going to sell him one of his chasers for cheap. Despite letting him in and taking them in advance. And helping him out, he'd told Darren that business was business and that as instructed he'd left the one behind for his nephew, if it wasn't there, then he'd have to get it on e-bay like everyone else.
Darren was furious... not just with his so-called friend, but with himself.
Damn. Nothing left to do. Wendy will get absolutely roasted on e-bay for pricing. And it most probably will be Simon's auction as well.
After having something to eat, Darren signed onto e-bay and began looking for that chase figure; he came across Simon's auctions all-starting off double the price that he'd bought them for from the store. All four of them had received bids.
"Wait a minute". Simon has four chasers... but that means he went back and got the last one! Darren was so upset at his friend. He felt betrayed and like a dagger had been put in his back.
He watched over the next few days, he didn't get a call from Simon, and he didn't bother calling him. The prices of the auction shot up to treble the amount that he'd bought them for. Each one going for over $45 a piece. A tidy profit by anyone's standards. He called Wendy to see if she'd got one of the four.
"Hey, how did you get on with getting that figure", asked Darren?
"Oh really, damn that's a shame, outbid in the last few seconds by someone eh? That’s usually the way with evil-bay" explained Darren.
Putting the phone down he sat by his bedside and wondered if there would ever be a way he could get this figure, maybe there would be one somewhere in the next wave of releases? Or maybe there was four on the pegs in the next town? Just then his phone rang.
"Hey Simon" he groaned. "I wasn't expecting a call from you."
"Hey Darren, listen I've got a bit of a problem, and I know you want to help me out with it." Said Simon.
"Go on" said Darren, feeling a sense of urgency he leaned into the phone.
"I've managed to sell all 3 of the chasers, they went nuts for them, but one of them, and he’s not going to pay me for it. Well that's not true. I can tell you what happened you wouldn’t tell e-bay right? So I got some of my mate’s accounts and bid up some of the auctions a little, only I got too greedy at the end, this person. Was really adamant they wanted it. And so I bid one last time with under a minute to go. Just to squeeze another $2 out of them. Only they didn't return my bid...." He explained.
"Damn that is a problem, you've bid on your own auction and now you want me to buy it. Is this the third one or the fourth you took from the store?" Asked Darren with a twist of sarcasm.
"I'm really sorry, I didn't want to do that, but hey, I'm trying to make it up to you now aren't I? When I realised this one wouldn't sell, I phoned you first because I'd known you'd have trouble getting one, maybe it's just karma telling me not to be too greedy eh?" He said with a twang of guilt.
"Ok, I'll buy it from you and if it means that much to make a profit, I'll buy it $5 more than what you paid for it" declared Darren.
"Ok thanks, I wanted more for it, but your a mate right? We’re still friends?" Asked Simon.
"Sure, I'll drop by yours tomorrow; we can sort it out then ok?"
Darren put the phone down. And called Wendy. "You never guess what I've got Josh" he promised.
The next day after work, Darren dropped by Simon's house after ringing the doorbell and trying the door there was no answer, "odd" he's usually in by now. Thought Darren.
He'd have to call him up, after all there wasn't really a set time they'd arranged, hoping his treacherous friend hadn't backed out on him a second time he called his cell phone.
"The number you have called isn't available at this time, please try again later" Darren left a message confirming that he'd drop by tomorrow to pick it up with the money.
Darren returned home, he'd call Wendy and explain that it would be another day of waiting for Little Josh. At around 7.30pm he got a call from Simon's cell phone, but Darren wasn't there, he was in the shower and didn't hear it. He went downstairs and had something to eat, once he'd watched some television he decided to go to bed.
He noticed a missed call before switching off his phone. Tomorrow would be Saturday, he'd be in all day tomorrow, I'll go round as I promised.
Saturday came and he decided to go and get his nephews present, despite how the week had gone, Simon wasn't so bad, he just got his judgement clouded by the dollar signs, and I'm sure with his own greed pushing him to the limit, he realised himself now that there is always a limit to what you can do.
He got to the driveway and noticed that Simon's car had been replaced, it wasn't there and instead another car, which looked like his mum's old station wagon was outside.
He tapped on the door anyway. "Probably getting repairs" he thought.
The door swung open and he was greeted by Simon's sister "Rachel" he shouted, realising he'd not seen her in years. "Oh Darren" she flung her arms around him and began sobbing. As he was in the hug he could hear Simon's mother waling in the background. Darren felt dizzy and confused
"What's going on? Where is Simon?"
It turns out that Simon had been getting repairs, he'd dropped his car off at the local garage, and intended to stop by the post office and get some estimates for sending out the chasers he'd sold, as he come out of the post office he must of been too busy thinking about the $ he'd be making when someone ran into him on the road. The paramedics had arrived almost 4 minutes after the call was made but he was pronounced D.O.A.
A few days later his mother called him up and explained she wanted help sorting out his room, gladly Darren had arranged to help sort out his final e-bay arrangements and kept the chaser as well, setting the appropriate money aside on his bedside for the transaction. As he left Simon's room for the last time he couldn't help thinking to himself that karma had probably bitten too hard on this occasion.
THE END.
I hope you enjoy reading it.
Scalpers Story
The message on his cell phone was loud and clear, "I've got a job at Wal-Mart!" Simon was instantly jealous. He knew that his friend Daz had only got the job for one thing..
Action Figures.. and all the best ones! he'll be calling me up constantly now offering me all the best ones and chasers at scalper prices. Being a Scalper himself Simon didn't want to be caught tasting his own medicine.
A few days pass and he gets a call sure enough from Daz. "Listen dude, you got to drop by here this afternoon, my Supervisor says something huge is happening here at the store and all the Area managers and directors are meeting up at a hotel. This place is going to be very lax and I can show you some crates and new stuff that we have coming in".
Despite his thoughts Daz was just helping out a friend, and really knew that deep down, Simon would appreciate the offer. He kind of remembered the look that Simon got when he saw a crate of new arrivals; he looked like a mixture of a kid on Christmas day and a stockbroker who'd just made a million.
At around 2-o clock, the door clicked at the guest entrance and Daz stepped out to let him into the Building. "You have to see this new stuff that they got in, it's going to be huge. There is a problem though" explained Daz.
"A problem" asked Simon. "Yeah, don't take every best one and chaser, because it's my nephews birthday tomorrow and my auntie is dropping by to get him this figure" Simon looked and Daz was pointing to the next chaser in the line. As soon as he done this. Simon could see the $ "I can't wait to haul this lot up on e-bay. I'll get a mint for it all" Daz looked concerned. "Yeah you'll get quite a bit for the chasers; you will leave one of them out to be put on the shelf though? Don't come back, because I'm going to be putting this behind the others"
"Yeah mate, not a problem, hey we've all been fans of this stuff and been a kid right?"
The next day Wendy and her nephew Josh decided to head out to get his birthday present, the latest in cool action figures from a program that already caught Josh's attention, the cartoon and figures had taken him away from videogames and encouraged him to use his own imagination. They got to the toy aisle and found the set-up, however the one Josh wanted wasn't there.
Josh began crying he'd be using his own birthday money to buy this figure and had waited nearly two weeks for the release. "Oh don't worry, I'm sure we can get him on the computer" she tried reassuring him, and a dejected mother and son began to leave. Suddenly she bumped into her Brother "Hey Darren, I thought you said you was going to leave Josh, one behind the peg (she winked) at him"
"Oh yeah, I did, wasn't it there?" Quizzed Daz.
"No" explained Wendy.
"I just told him we’d have to get it on the computer at home, although it's going to cost us double or even more wont it" said Wendy.
"Yeah, yeah it will" said Darren.
"What's wrong" asked Wendy?
"Oh it's just, I did leave you one of those characters, and it looks like someone got here before you. Someone that also wanted him as badly" explained Darren.
After a disappointing day. Darren went home and tried calling Simon, if he could he'd try his best to get his nephew one of those figures back, he'd explain the situation to him.
"Hello Simon, it's Darren, yeah. Listen I need a favour." As Darren explained his predicament. He got into a heated discussion; Simon wasn't going to sell him one of his chasers for cheap. Despite letting him in and taking them in advance. And helping him out, he'd told Darren that business was business and that as instructed he'd left the one behind for his nephew, if it wasn't there, then he'd have to get it on e-bay like everyone else.
Darren was furious... not just with his so-called friend, but with himself.
Damn. Nothing left to do. Wendy will get absolutely roasted on e-bay for pricing. And it most probably will be Simon's auction as well.
After having something to eat, Darren signed onto e-bay and began looking for that chase figure; he came across Simon's auctions all-starting off double the price that he'd bought them for from the store. All four of them had received bids.
"Wait a minute". Simon has four chasers... but that means he went back and got the last one! Darren was so upset at his friend. He felt betrayed and like a dagger had been put in his back.
He watched over the next few days, he didn't get a call from Simon, and he didn't bother calling him. The prices of the auction shot up to treble the amount that he'd bought them for. Each one going for over $45 a piece. A tidy profit by anyone's standards. He called Wendy to see if she'd got one of the four.
"Hey, how did you get on with getting that figure", asked Darren?
"Oh really, damn that's a shame, outbid in the last few seconds by someone eh? That’s usually the way with evil-bay" explained Darren.
Putting the phone down he sat by his bedside and wondered if there would ever be a way he could get this figure, maybe there would be one somewhere in the next wave of releases? Or maybe there was four on the pegs in the next town? Just then his phone rang.
"Hey Simon" he groaned. "I wasn't expecting a call from you."
"Hey Darren, listen I've got a bit of a problem, and I know you want to help me out with it." Said Simon.
"Go on" said Darren, feeling a sense of urgency he leaned into the phone.
"I've managed to sell all 3 of the chasers, they went nuts for them, but one of them, and he’s not going to pay me for it. Well that's not true. I can tell you what happened you wouldn’t tell e-bay right? So I got some of my mate’s accounts and bid up some of the auctions a little, only I got too greedy at the end, this person. Was really adamant they wanted it. And so I bid one last time with under a minute to go. Just to squeeze another $2 out of them. Only they didn't return my bid...." He explained.
"Damn that is a problem, you've bid on your own auction and now you want me to buy it. Is this the third one or the fourth you took from the store?" Asked Darren with a twist of sarcasm.
"I'm really sorry, I didn't want to do that, but hey, I'm trying to make it up to you now aren't I? When I realised this one wouldn't sell, I phoned you first because I'd known you'd have trouble getting one, maybe it's just karma telling me not to be too greedy eh?" He said with a twang of guilt.
"Ok, I'll buy it from you and if it means that much to make a profit, I'll buy it $5 more than what you paid for it" declared Darren.
"Ok thanks, I wanted more for it, but your a mate right? We’re still friends?" Asked Simon.
"Sure, I'll drop by yours tomorrow; we can sort it out then ok?"
Darren put the phone down. And called Wendy. "You never guess what I've got Josh" he promised.
The next day after work, Darren dropped by Simon's house after ringing the doorbell and trying the door there was no answer, "odd" he's usually in by now. Thought Darren.
He'd have to call him up, after all there wasn't really a set time they'd arranged, hoping his treacherous friend hadn't backed out on him a second time he called his cell phone.
"The number you have called isn't available at this time, please try again later" Darren left a message confirming that he'd drop by tomorrow to pick it up with the money.
Darren returned home, he'd call Wendy and explain that it would be another day of waiting for Little Josh. At around 7.30pm he got a call from Simon's cell phone, but Darren wasn't there, he was in the shower and didn't hear it. He went downstairs and had something to eat, once he'd watched some television he decided to go to bed.
He noticed a missed call before switching off his phone. Tomorrow would be Saturday, he'd be in all day tomorrow, I'll go round as I promised.
Saturday came and he decided to go and get his nephews present, despite how the week had gone, Simon wasn't so bad, he just got his judgement clouded by the dollar signs, and I'm sure with his own greed pushing him to the limit, he realised himself now that there is always a limit to what you can do.
He got to the driveway and noticed that Simon's car had been replaced, it wasn't there and instead another car, which looked like his mum's old station wagon was outside.
He tapped on the door anyway. "Probably getting repairs" he thought.
The door swung open and he was greeted by Simon's sister "Rachel" he shouted, realising he'd not seen her in years. "Oh Darren" she flung her arms around him and began sobbing. As he was in the hug he could hear Simon's mother waling in the background. Darren felt dizzy and confused
"What's going on? Where is Simon?"
It turns out that Simon had been getting repairs, he'd dropped his car off at the local garage, and intended to stop by the post office and get some estimates for sending out the chasers he'd sold, as he come out of the post office he must of been too busy thinking about the $ he'd be making when someone ran into him on the road. The paramedics had arrived almost 4 minutes after the call was made but he was pronounced D.O.A.
A few days later his mother called him up and explained she wanted help sorting out his room, gladly Darren had arranged to help sort out his final e-bay arrangements and kept the chaser as well, setting the appropriate money aside on his bedside for the transaction. As he left Simon's room for the last time he couldn't help thinking to himself that karma had probably bitten too hard on this occasion.
THE END.