Haggling

Haggling is a subtle skill,
At which I’m not proficient.
Observers of my tactics will
Declare I’m quite deficient.

I always start off much too high,
Much higher than the price is,
My wife has always said that I
Am useless in a crisis.

The trader on the market stall
Thinks I’m a proper loo-lah,
But does he haggle? Not at all,
He’s bringing home the moolah.

What use is algebraic thought,
Or esoteric scruples?
Far better if our teachers taught
Some haggling to their pupils.