Peter: Gentlemen, how are you today?
Ace: Cool and howdy as usual.
Banks: Man, we're alive and kicking, thank God.
Peter: Gents, you know the story you told us last week about Steve Maseko and Marks Maponyane being conned into buying fake watches and paying R50 for a beer that they thought was shoes...ha, ha.
Ace: Ha, ha, yes.
Peter: Well, Marks called and told us another story about how he got caught again...
Banks: Oh no.
Ace: What did Marks say, what's his story?
Peter: Guys, it goes like this. It was 1987 and Marks had already made a name for himself, and he had just built a new house. So things were going well for him.
Ace: And?
Peter: Marks decided to buy a big new colour TV for himself with his latest bonuses. He went to Dions in Jo'burg and as he parked his car near the back of the store, a guy in a Dions overall came up to him and said, "Heita, Marksie, I love you and Kaizer Chiefs. What are you doing here?" So Marks explained that he was coming to Dions to buy a TV set. The guy then told him that he worked for Dions and because Marks was a Kaizer Chiefs player, he would get him the best TV in the shop for less than half price.
Banks: I bet Marks couldn't believe his luck.
Ace: Ha, ha.
Peter: Yes, the guy gets Marks to bring his car to the back of Dions where the despatch is, telling Marks that he will meet him there. So Marks arrives at the despatch and the guy is there with another guy, who is also in a Dions overall. They tell him that they will give him a R2 000 TV for R700.
Banks: Ha, ha, poor Marksie, he must have thought he was born lucky.
Ace: Ja, ha, ha.
Peter: So the guy says to Marks, "We must be quick. Open your boot, keep it open and we'll bring the box. Once we load it into your boot, you must go quickly." Marks says fine and he gives them R700.
Banks: What happened next?
Peter: Well, Marks did as he was told. After giving them the money, he kept the boot open and waited.
Ace: And...
Peter: He waited and waited and waited. To this day, he's still waiting. Marks waited there for the next two hours with his boot open.
Ace: Ha, ha.
Banks: Didn't he try to go and find them?
Peter: Of course. After two hours, he locked his car and went searching for them. But obviously they were conman who pretended to be Dions workers in stolen overalls. Poor Marks, he was R700 poorer and still no TV.
Banks: Ha, ha. Just goes to show that there are no bargains to be found in Jo'burg.
Ace: Can you imagine, every time these guys see Marks on TV they must laugh their heads off. They got his R700 and he had to go and buy a TV.
Banks: Ha, ha. I hope Marks eventually learnt his lesson.
Peter: Yes, he told me that after it happened to him three times, he finally learnt to say no to anyone offering him anything at a bargain price.
Ace: That's the lesson to learn. Deal with crooks and they will eventually crook you as well.
Peter: For sure.
Banks: Definitely.
Peter: Well, guys, that's a very good way to end, with a moral. And on that note…
Banks: … take it easy…
Ace: … like Sunday morning!
