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Jul. 18th, 2006 02:01 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
gone_byebyeGemstone Bazaar, 47th Street
Diamond District - Manhattan
18 July 2006
"I have to say, Dr. Stantz, for synthetics these are really very impressive." Ari, the appraiser, held the last of the stones up for examination. The veins of red-orange fire that ran through the opal shot back the overhead lights. "I don't normally use artificially created stones much myself, but these- well, I have a buyer who would take these in a heartbeat."
"That's good," said Ray. He knew this was part of the bargaining process. The thought alone was enough to make his palms sweat. Haggling had never been one of his strengths, rather in the same way that dryness had never been a real selling point for South Florida real estate. Ari was one of the few dealers in the Diamond District that he knew well enough to work with directly, instead of sending Venkman for the bargaining phase. Right now he just didn't have the time to involve Peter, no matter what difference it would make to the price of the stones.
"Is there a reason you're bringing me so many all at once?" the other man inquired, one dark eyebrow rising. "There something going on I ought to know about?"
"I need to get out of town on short notice," Ray confessed, mentally kicking himself for giving Ari reason to drive the price back down. "I had these ready, so-"
"You know, most men in this city who have to leave town in a hurry have these things. Credit cards, they call them." Ari turned to polish his glasses under a tiny desk-lamp's glare. "Very useful, I understand."
"This is- this is personal."
"Ah..." Ari nodded sagely. "Personal personal, or I-shouldn't-ask-about-it personal?"
"Personal personal." Ray grimaced. "I need to get to Nevada before the end of the week, if not sooner."
"Nevada." Ari glanced up from his glasses. "Anywhere in particular?"
"Nowhere near Las Vegas, if that's what you're asking."
"No, no." The gem buyer laughed, and slid his glasses back up his nose. "I know you, Dr. Stantz. You haven't got a gambling bone in your body. Las Vegas would eat you alive."
Ray was forced to concede that this was probably true.
"I ask because my nephew is a travel agent. He might be able to help you, if you want to avoid the hassle of telephoning the airlines and messing around on the computer. Do you want his number?"
The Milliways-made opals gleamed up at him. Ray hesitated, then said, "How soon can he get me there without breaking my bank book in half?"
"Soon. Very soon. Here, give me your card and that pen. And then we can discuss prices on these fine stones of yours."
Diamond District - Manhattan
18 July 2006
"I have to say, Dr. Stantz, for synthetics these are really very impressive." Ari, the appraiser, held the last of the stones up for examination. The veins of red-orange fire that ran through the opal shot back the overhead lights. "I don't normally use artificially created stones much myself, but these- well, I have a buyer who would take these in a heartbeat."
"That's good," said Ray. He knew this was part of the bargaining process. The thought alone was enough to make his palms sweat. Haggling had never been one of his strengths, rather in the same way that dryness had never been a real selling point for South Florida real estate. Ari was one of the few dealers in the Diamond District that he knew well enough to work with directly, instead of sending Venkman for the bargaining phase. Right now he just didn't have the time to involve Peter, no matter what difference it would make to the price of the stones.
"Is there a reason you're bringing me so many all at once?" the other man inquired, one dark eyebrow rising. "There something going on I ought to know about?"
"I need to get out of town on short notice," Ray confessed, mentally kicking himself for giving Ari reason to drive the price back down. "I had these ready, so-"
"You know, most men in this city who have to leave town in a hurry have these things. Credit cards, they call them." Ari turned to polish his glasses under a tiny desk-lamp's glare. "Very useful, I understand."
"This is- this is personal."
"Ah..." Ari nodded sagely. "Personal personal, or I-shouldn't-ask-about-it personal?"
"Personal personal." Ray grimaced. "I need to get to Nevada before the end of the week, if not sooner."
"Nevada." Ari glanced up from his glasses. "Anywhere in particular?"
"Nowhere near Las Vegas, if that's what you're asking."
"No, no." The gem buyer laughed, and slid his glasses back up his nose. "I know you, Dr. Stantz. You haven't got a gambling bone in your body. Las Vegas would eat you alive."
Ray was forced to concede that this was probably true.
"I ask because my nephew is a travel agent. He might be able to help you, if you want to avoid the hassle of telephoning the airlines and messing around on the computer. Do you want his number?"
The Milliways-made opals gleamed up at him. Ray hesitated, then said, "How soon can he get me there without breaking my bank book in half?"
"Soon. Very soon. Here, give me your card and that pen. And then we can discuss prices on these fine stones of yours."
