Oi. What's that then?
What's wot?
That thing you're hiding behind your back.
This? It's nothing special.
Come on. I've seen it now. Spill.
Well okay, if you must know. It's a gullibility gauge.
A what?
A gullibility gauge. It measures how easy someone is to fool.
Nah. There's no such thing as that. You're having me on.
Not at all. And very handy it is too. If you're about to make a sale, you just run this over the punter -- if it says he's a bit of a mug you know you're safe to knock up a bit more on the price.
Well yeah. I can see that would come in handy. But where'd you get it?
Off this travelling salesman. But this was his last one. They're very hard to come by you know.
Nah. I still reckon you're pulling my leg.
Straight up. Here, let me try it on you ...
Hang on a minute ...
Don't worry. It's perfectly safe. All works off your algy rhythms and stuff.
Algy rhythms?
Means it's all proper and scientific. Now take a look at this dial here; it says you're not gullible at all.
Course I'm not. Well okay ... maybe it does work. How much did it cost you?
Hundred bucks
Tell you what, I'll take it off you for one-fifty.
Make it two hundred and it's yours.
Done.
YOU ARE READING
Assorted Shorts
Short StoryWas going to call it Tight Shorts, but that would imply it's a load of old bollocks. A collection of short tales, some humorous, some not.