Trade 41: Plasma Ball for "Token" and Skittles

I managed to transgress the Bunz code with this trade. But ultimately, it wasn’t that a big deal—unless you’re a puritan. Here’s what happened:

(In a somewhat eerie coincidence, David Bowie died later that day.)

I arranged to exchange one TTC token for this neat little USB-powered plasma ball toy. Straightforward, right?

I was halfway to the pickup location in the west end when I realized I had spaced out and forgotten to bring the token!

It was too late to go home and get it; if there’s anything I hate it’s Bunz who flake on a trade and don’t show up to arranged meetings.

It was embarrassing to show up to a trade and explain that I was an idiot who hadn’t even brought my own item, but I reasoned that this was less rude than flaking.

I proposed an alternate transaction: I had a bag of Skittles on me, so I suggested we trade for that instead. I also said, with a wink, ‘Hey, I happened to find $3.25 here on your doorstep. It must have fallen out of your wallet.’

Which was acceptable to the other Bun. Technically, this was my second violation of the one Bunz rule: no cash in the Zone (see also: my first violation of the rule).

Here’s the plasma ball in action:

It’s pretty neat. But I rarely play with it, because I’d have to give up one of my USB ports to have it plugged in all the time.

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