Tuesday, May 19, 2009

In Santa Fe: Quotations

"... one of the many ways he's like a horse." Bob Rutledge, in reference to Erik Kuulkers.
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3 comments:

  1. UnknownMay 20, 2009 at 6:10 AM

    It should be added that Erik and I frequently exchange friendly jokes at each others' expense -- which can look harsh to others, and especially when they're not present. We're not sure when we started to do this (we discussed it recently) -- it could have been when we took a side trip to Mount Fuji in 1991 while we were both visiting graduate students at ISAS in Japan, but it had certainly taken hold by the time we went on a group trip to Tijuana during the 1995 AAS/HEAD meeting in San Diego, when Erik almost got us both killed at the hands of an angry mob of Tijuana merchants, by suggesting to one of them that his goods were in no way worth even 30% of the asking price.

    Incidentally, the shop owner finally relented and sold Erik the item (an Aztec astronomical chart) at 25% of the asking price. But I'm sure the warrantee was voided. We sprinted out of there.

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  2. ErikMay 20, 2009 at 10:38 AM

    Mount Fuji was quite an experience. We managed to take the long route instead of the short one. And we didn't get the instructions from the information booth at the main central station in Tokyo!

    Tijuana was indeed yet another experience. My recollections are that Bob was the one who told me how to bargain. I may have taken him too literally and gone too far. When we left the merchant's shop, the owner emberassed himself in front of many of his colleagues from other shops, and in despair gave us the lowest price he'd ever offered (according to him; also according to Bob). In the end I indeed bought the item, and we reached San Diego safely.

    About the quote being a horse? What should I say? I'm glad I was not quoted being a duck (see Funny Horse Jokes): "What is the difference between a horse and a duck? One goes quick and the other goes quack!"

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  3. UnknownJune 1, 2009 at 3:29 PM

    LOL

    Peter den Hartog

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