But we'd already had the convo about the low price my bits would fetch. Do people really throw it away because they don't get the high price they want?

Sent by thought transference

No. The actual alternatives are to take it home and anguish about it, or take it to the next shop where it will fetch a similar number and then be sold. Neither of which serves the current shop!

So what the pawn shop has done is to communicate to you that it's worthless so that you will quickly sell it to them cheaply and without argument.

I'd take the silver home, melt it down and pour it into molds to cast bullets with which to shoot werewolves; but, that's me.

Could the jeweler not repair the broken bits or make something new out of them?

Probably. For a price.

I didn't ask, but I think that jeweller was too high-end to do that sort of repair or, indeed, to sell the repaired items for their own profit. And I wasn't that interested in the bits to have them repaired for me.


Sent by thought transference

I had something similar - although off topic - the other week.
The cashpoint at my bank has a strange habit of showing an account balance of NIL if you cannot make a withdrawal (which is £10 minimum from that machine).
Now I knew I had some pennies left, so I went in to check at the counter.

"Do I have any money I can withdraw today?"
"No," he replied, "you only have a balance of 94p."
"Can I withdraw that then?"
"Errrr.... yes...?"

So I did, and bought some milk and a packet of wraps (soft tortillas). This meant I could continue to enjoy the cereal and tuna and cheese I had at home until I was in proper funds.
Money is money is money. I handle mine badly, but not so badly that I can kiss off nearly a pound when things are tight.

Note - this is a bank that would levy a charge if I went 94p overdrawn.
And I'd have liked to see his face if I'd just waltzed in and asked for 94p for food. "What's the problem? It has no value!"

Which makes me sound bitter, and I wasn't. I was just a little puzzled by his response. Although I suppose they deal mainly with rich old pensioners and local businesses these days. You want to go to the Post Office to find people like me...

Most banks here would consider withdrawing your last cent to be equivalent to closing the account. They won't just hold an empty account open indefinitely.

http://cellar.org/2015/pawnkiss.jpg

Steve sent this along - apparently someone on the street loved the shop's front window so much they gave it a big ol kiss.

He reports "We did have a dead sexy Bosch hammer drill in the window."

I wonder if it was at bend over height. :eyebrow:

Benwhonow?

Purple haze all in my brain
Lately things don't seem the same
Actin' funny but I'll screw this whore
Bend over baby and kiss the door

Maybe that's how the prostitutes mark their territory.

In Philadelphia, 10 people have been shot in the last 24 hours, but only one was within three blocks of the shop.

When it's hot people get all shooty.

Exactly! Which is why I was surprised when you reported that shooting right next to the pawn shop on like the coldest day of the winter. Just imagine how cold that gun handle was. Brr.