Up Against the Wall - The Coconut Chronicles: Two Guys, One Caribbean Dream House - page 260

He whistled softly through his teeth. “This man is trying to cheat you.”
“He's cheating me by charging one-half the price you're asking?”
“He won't do a good job.”
“He built Corinne's house. It's perfect.”
“I'll do $25,000. Just for you.”
“That's still almost $10,000 more than the other bid.”
“Alright, I'm going into the hole here, but how about $24,000?”
“Goodbye, Humberto.”
I tried to make a joke of it when I called Corinne.
“I'm calling to tell you Humberto's bottom of the rock price.”
“Oooh,” she said excitedly.
“It's $24,000.”
“Whew.”
“I know.”
“What's he planning to use, platinum?”
I laughed.
“I'm sorry. I feel like a fool.”
“Sixteen five's beginning to sound pretty good, huh?”
I deserved it.
“Very good.”
But she wasn't one to dwell on things.
“Know anyone else who could bid?”
“I'll ask our property manager. Sorry again.”
“Island life,” she said. “Don't sweat it.”
We got a third bid, for $19,000. The guy swore he was losing money on the deal.
We haggled with Falco and got him down to $15,000. He started work the next week
and finished two months later.