The other day, a man came up to me and offered to sell me a new phone.
I am not a wealthy man, and certainly not one who can update to the latest cellphone each year. So, the man’s offer intrigued me.
‘But,’ I thought to myself, ‘do I really need a new phone?’
At least, I thought I had thought it to myself, but then the man said to me, “I can see that you are wondering if you need a new phone.”
I looked at the man, he had big googly eyes and a reddish skin (perhaps he had been in the sun too long). I admitted that he was correct, I had been wondering whether I needed a new phone.
“Show me your phone.” He said. So I got out my phone, opened it up, switched it on. I wiped the screen clean with my shirt sleeve and pressed some of the buttons.
I swear the old man could barely stifle his laugh.
“Ah”, he said, “I see now why you need a new phone. This one is so old, I bet it even has Moses in its contact list.”
I wasn’t quite sure what he meant by that remark, but before I could ask, he went on;…
“Here, let me show you a new phone, see what you think.”
He reached into an inside pocket of his long overcoat and then pulled out a shiny golden phone with a touchscreen, unbreakable glass and even a diamond encrusted case.
“Look at this”, he said as he handed the phone to me, “What do you think of it? This is the type of phone for someone who is special, who is successful, and who is important. Someone just like you.”
“Just like me?” I said, self mockingly.
“Sure, just like you. With this phone in your hand, you will look important and successful. Everyone who sees it will notice you and want to be just like you.”
“But how much does such a phone cost?” I asked and then immediately regretted it because it made me sound eager.
“Just 5000 of your dollars” he said, without a hint of hesitation.
“Five thousand is a lot” I pleaded, hoping that would see an end to it.
“It’s not a lot to someone who is successful and wealthy. With this phone in your hand or even in your pocket, you will appear, and you will feel, successful.”
“I may look successful, I may even feel successful, but I simply do not have 5000 dollars to pay for a phone, or indeed for anything else.”
“I’ll tell you what,“ the man said, taking a step back and looking thoughtful,“ how much could you give me for this new phone?”
“How much could I give you? How much could I give?”
“Yes, how much could you give?”
“Well, I have nothing. Nothing at all. So, I can only give you nothing for it.”
There was a pause, a short pause but definitely a pause, before the man replied;
“ Very well, then, take this phone and use it for a month. See how you like it, see if it makes you look successful and wealthy. I will not take any money from you but, after a month, come back here and meet me again. If you like the phone after a month, then I will sell it to you. I will sell it to you in exchange for something you have that is worth exactly nothing.”
“For nothing?”
“For something that is worth nothing, that is the price you said you could pay.”
“Are you serious?”
“Oh yes. But, if after a month you cannot give me something that is worth nothing, then you must pay the full price of the phone.”
I thought to myself that this guy is a fool. There are plenty of things that are worth nothing. Plenty of things I could give him.
“Agreed”, I said, and we shook hands.
Thereby, I became the owner of a smart new phone. A new phone that should make me look successful, important, and wealthy.
… TBC
