What Price a Smile

Economist by training I believe that it is possible to put a price on anything.

What price a smile?

I know the answer.  I know what I am willing to pay for a smile.

I am back in Arco, in the off season, so there is plenty of accommodation available.  You can have a good apartment with a nice view for $100 night.

I have been to Arco before, and stayed in many nice places, but there is one place that is special: it comes with a smile.

When discussing accommodation options in Arco for this trip I attempted to project an air of nonchalance, not caring too much where we stayed.  It was a show.  There was only one place I wanted to stay, and our search showed it to be priced at a premium to the others.  We booked it anyway.

Pulling into the lane the apartment is on generated second thoughts: should we have looked harder and found another place?  Too late now.  I ring the buzzer for the owners and then step back to peer over the gate, Maria looks out the window, breaks into a huge grin, waves frantically, shouts ‘buongiorno’ and dispels all second thoughts.  This is why we are staying here.

The next morning, standing on the balcony taking in the view, I hear the gate open and Maria is about to leave.  I shout down to her to arrange some bikes and she turns and waves, face beaming.  As we arrange the bikes she is all smiles and at that point I realise again, this is why we are staying here, her smile.  It’s not the conversation, Maria’s English is limited to, ‘allora, yes yes, OK, ciao ciao’, it’s her smile.

So, what is the price of a smile?  It is $25 per day: that is how much I am willing to pay for a nice smile.

Pam disagrees.  Pam’s view is that I’m not paying for Maria’s smile, but for the smile it gives me?  This confirms what I have always thought, Pam is the better shopper – she can see two smiles for the price of one.