Alvin took Julie, who wasn't exactly eager, to the clothing store where he'd changed outfits earlier.
The white-haired old man who'd taken the 80 bucks spotted Alvin bringing in a customer.
He waved cheerfully, apologized to the woman beside him, who was wearing sunglasses, then smiled and came over. "Is there anything else I can do for you?"
Alvin had to admit the old man had impressed him. He'd decided he would never set foot in this clothing store again, whose name he couldn't even remember.
A man of his age couldn't possibly have missed how utterly incompatible Alvin's spending habits were with this place.
Yet he still wore a confident smile, as if Alvin's return didn't surprise him in the least.
That matter-of-fact tone and expression made Alvin deeply uncomfortable.
It was as if the old man were a genius at ripping people off, with a razor-sharp knife in hand, while Alvin cheerfully came over and offered himself up to be stabbed.
Alvin glanced at a price tag that made his eyes swim, rolled his eyes, and reluctantly pulled a wad of twenty-dollar bills from his pocket. He counted out eight and handed them to the old man. "Another 160-dollar one, please, for this young lady..."
Julie had apparently recognized the old man. She covered her mouth and tugged at Alvin, embarrassed. "Principal Alvin, we can't do this, can we?
We can ask Mr. Carrafiegel for help, but you can't just..."
Alvin shot the smiling, silent old man a glare, then looked earnestly at Julie. "If I came back here a second time on my own, that would mean I was a complete bastard.
I don't even want to know this old man's name...
He 'extorted' 4,999 bucks from me for a dress, and I barely even know the