You Get What You Pay For

  A lady walked into the shop of the best hat maker in her city. She’d never had the pleasure of owning one, but she decided that today was the day she would. She told the haberdasher that she wanted the most beautiful hat in the world, and wanted to wear it that night to a gala. The artist gladly complied. Right in front of her, he took a simple strand of ribbon and indeed created the most beautiful hat she had ever seen. He sat her in front of a large mirror and placed it on his customer’s head. She swooned and bellowed an excited “I’ll take it!” The hat maker was pleased. He responded, “Wonderful Madame, I’ll wrap it for you. That will be $500.”  The woman blanched.  “$500?!” she said. “But, you only used one piece of ribbon!” The haberdasher undid the ribbon with one quick tug and let it fall to the table. “Madame,” he responded, “the ribbon was free.”