19 May 2024 - eviltoast
  • 𝕽𝖚𝖆𝖎𝖉𝖍𝖗𝖎𝖌𝖍@midwest.social
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    5
    arrow-down
    1
    ·
    6 months ago

    Yup! I wouldn’t have chosen the word “hustle;” it has connotations of a rip-off. I think most people were aware that there was a mark-up, but it felt more capitalist than simply giving someone a hand-out.

    I wonder how much of a real niche this filled, though. Maybe you could buy a box of ten for a nickel, and one from a homeless person for a penny; but you only had to spend a penny, a single pencil would last you a couple of days, and you’d have enough left of your nickel for a cup of coffee. Plus, you were aware of the charitable aspect. Or maybe you really couldn’t afford to spend a whole nickel on a box of pencils. I suspect, though, it was more the charity thing.

    I also now wonder what the average mark-up was.