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Yep. I know those guys

Me and my jazzband went to talk to a local booking agent a couple of years ago. Half a year later he had ripped us of 2000$ and only made us one gig(that was extremely underpaid). The collaboration with that booking agent stopped shortly there after…..

I often get a hamburger and fries lunch to go and and take it a small park across from Reunification Palace (adjacent to one of the schools where I teach) to eat it. A shoe shine boy came by and asked me if I wanted a shine on my shoes. I told him it depended on how much he would charge. He quoted 20,000 dong (about $1.25). I thought that was fair so I let him shine them--and I told him I wanted ONLY A SHOE SHINE. Unlike American shiners, Vietnamese shoe shine boys have their clients take their shoes off. I decided to take short siesta. I awoke to the shoe shine boy putting my brown saddle oxfords on my feet.

"That'll be 60,000 dong, sir!" ($3.75)

"Whaa...???"

"I couldn't let you walk around in shoes like that. They needed new heels, new soles, and new insoles. You're getting quite a bargain..."

Never mind the fact that this was one of the last times I planned to wear those shoes. The money I spent on the shoe shine meant that I had to wait a few days to buy a new pair--to earn a little more money.

The man was shocked that I am not a tourist and I frequent that park 3-5 times a week. He does the same con job to other foreigners who bring their hamburger and fries lunch to the park. I warn people like me about this guy.

Had he just shined my shoes for 20,000 dong I would have been happy for him to shine my shoes twice or three times a week. However, in gypping me, he lost my repeat business, as well as any referral sales I would have gotten him.

I haven't seen him in a few weeks. I think he is working in another park!

how was his work? Still sounds like quite a deal to me...

bloke wrote:A band with which I play was going to Chicago to play for a funeral...c. 6-7 pieces @ c. $500/person...' extremely reasonable considering the 9+ hr. drive both ways.

I'm amazed that they don't have equally good bands in Chicago that would do the gig for $200 each... considering the short drive, of course.

MikeMason wrote:how was his work? Still sounds like quite a deal to me...

Fell apart going home on the motorcycle that night (in the rain)... the shoes looked no different, except they did have a good shine. I think he used school paste to glue on the heels! The shine lasted three days--worth about 20,000 dong here...

I would think there would be an "adequate" band in the Chicago area,but definitely not as good...

bloke wrote:

TubaTinker wrote:I'm amazed that they don't have equally good bands in Chicago that would do the gig for $200 each... considering the short drive, of course.

...so...Do I pretend like I don't get it and take it as some sort of compliment...??

No malice intended. I just find it very difficult to imagine ANYONE paying ANY group 18 hours of windshield time to play for a funeral.