*A student asked me for a Halloween story this week. Unfortunately, I didn’t have one at the time. But it got me thinking…
The Art of Negotiation
“34! I have 34.” Sarah looked at her sister’s pile of candy. “How many do you have?”
Andi finished counting then answered. “37.”
Andi tried to hide it, but Sarah could clearly hear the smugness in her older sister’s tone. She made a face. “That’s not fair, we went to the same places.”
Andi shrugged. “Maybe people liked my costume better.”
Sarah couldn’t argue with her there. Andi had persuaded their parents to buy her a brand-new evil princess costume. Sarah had been forced to wear a hand me down butterfly costume. It had crumpled wings her mother bent and twisted back into place.
Sarah let her eyes wander over Andi’s pile of candy. She spotted a full-size KitKat. She loved KitKats. “Want to trade?”
Andi gave her a look that Sarah interpreted to mean, Duh, what are you, stupid?
Sarah looked through her own candy and found two snack sized bags of Reese’s Pieces. Andi loved Reese’s.
“I’ll trade you two Reece’s Pieces for two KitKat.” She began the negotiation.
Andi narrowed her eyes. Two Reese’s Pieces was a good opener, but she had to make sure she got the better deal. “I’ll give you one KitKat for them.”
Sarah shook her head. “That’s not fair, two for two.”
Andi held firm. “Two Reese’s Pieces are the same as one KitKat, there’s barely any in those tiny bags.” She was bluffing, of course. Reese’s were so much better.
Sarah feigned a thoughtful expression. She was bluffing as well; she had a plan.
“Fine.” She dropped her shoulders, looking beaten. “But I get to choose any KitKat from your pile.”
Seeing victory, Andi agreed. She didn’t care if Sarah chose white chocolate, milk chocolate or glow in the dark, it didn’t matter, because she clearly got the better deal.
Sarah handed over the two snack packs of Reese’s Pieces then pretended to peruse Andi’s cany pile.
I’ll…take…this one.” She reached out and snatched up the full-size KitKat bar.
“Hey! Not that one!” Andi tried to snatch it back, but Sarah rolled away from her.
“That’s not fair, I’m telling Dad.”
A frisson of worry traveled up Sarah’s spine, but she was pretty sure she’d be okay. After all, Andi had agreed to the trade.
“Daaaaadddddd!” Andi didn’t wait for her father to find them, she tracked him down in the kitchen, Sarah close on her heels. “It’s not fair. Sarah took my full-size KitKat.”
“It is too fair, you said I could pick any KitKat.”
“Obviously not that one. Everyone knows that!”
“Hey, hey, calm down. One at a time.” Their father held up his hands for silence.
When they stopped yelling at each other, the girls looked at him and he nodded at Andi first. “Speak.”
Andi gave her side of the tale. Her father nodded then looked to Sarah. “Explain.” She did, shamefully telling him about her gambit.
“Well,” their father said. “I call it a fair trade.”
“What!” both girls said at the same time. Andi was pissed but Sarah was surprised as well. She thought for sure she’d have to give the candy back.
“Way I see it, Andi tried to pull a fast one on Sarah but Sarah beat her at her own game. Fair and square I say.”
Andi glowered at her younger sister. “I’ll get you for this.”
Sarah would worry tomorrow about her sister’s retaliation. Tonight, she’d enjoy her victory.
Rebecca Lamprey 