Conversation in an Op Shop

The other day I was in an Op Shop (for non-Australians - I think you call them Goodwills).

I wasn't going to go in, honestly. I was just going past when I was getting my lunch.

But there was a huge sign on the window - "Sale - Clothing $1 per item".

Well, who could resist that. So I went in, and picked out a pair of child's pyjamas (three piece, nice embossed white top), a two-piece suit in Thai silk and cotton (top silk only) and two dresses, and took them to the counter on their individual hangers.

There were two ladies there, one young and one older. They piled them up and said "Eight dollars". I thought "ummmmmm" and said "I wonder if you could tell me how you reached that total?"

So the older one took each individual piece (suit = two pieces, pyjamas [quite small] = three pieces) and got to eight.

I said "I really would have thought a suit was an item, and a set of pyjamas is an item".

The younger said "No, that's what it says on the window - $1 an item".

I asked how much a pair of socks would be. She said "One dollar".

So I said that I didn't really want them, if that was their pricing policy - whereon the elder said "Well, you can have them for four dollars then". While the younger one kept saying "But that is what it says on the window - per item".

I paid four dollars and took them - but I really wasn't quick enough. I should have said "So, all the dresses down there (waving to the dresses down the back) are a dollar each, is that right???"
And when they said "Yes", as they would have had to, I should have picked the $300 wedding dress - I would have been happy to pay their eight dollars plus the extra dollar for it.