EXT. MERCHANT SHIP, AMERICAN DOCKS - DAY
A large sailing ship is preparing to leave harbour. The CAPTAIN surveys his CREW running around busily from the stern. A PASSENGER approaches him.
PASSENGER
Thank you once again for permitting me passage back to my homeland on your vessel.
CAPTAIN
Think nothing of it. We set sail in one hour, and with a fair wind, we should be back in Blighty by, erm...July, I should expect.
PASSENGER
Ah, so soon?
CAPTAIN
So tell me sir, what brought you to the New World?
PASSENGER
Well, Captain, back in England I own a number of high-quality furniture makers.
CAPTAIN
Egads! You are the David Francis Smith of David Francis Smith Furnishings fame? I have one of your cabinets in my cabin!
PASSENGER
Ah, tis the best place for one, I find.
(then)
But, alas, times have been tough these past few years and my income has dwindled. Over here in the New World I sought cheaper supplies of materials, but more importantly, I sought inspiration! A new plan to bring customers forth and return my once proud business to the top!
CAPTAIN
And has inspiration found you?
PASSENGER
Not in the manner I might have hoped, sir. Indeed, the only idea that crossed my mind was to reduce the name of my business to my initials in order to save time and ink supplies on our invoices.
CAPTAIN
A fine idea.
PASSENGER
But not, alas, one that will return David Francis Smith Furnishings to profit. Tell me, Captain, do you have any advice? Surely turning a profit in today's shipping market is a beastly task?
CAPTAIN
Indeed. However, I have a stratagem that has served me well. You see my sails?
PASSENGER
Indeed.
CAPTAIN
Well, truth be told, they are not the largest sails in the harbour. When customers saw them, they doubted our ability to cross the ocean in good enough time compared to the rather larger sails on the ships of my competitors.
PASSENGER
But your ship is filled with cargo! How do you manage it?
CAPTAIN
Simple, my good man. I tell my customers that we have larger sails in the hold, which we unfurl after we've left harbour. What they are seeing when we are docked are merely part of our overall sail capacity.
PASSENGER
You claim these sails have been specially reduced?
CAPTAIN
Indeed. Of course, the customer is not to know that there has been no reduction, and that they are always this size.
PASSENGER
Hmm. I do believe I'm starting to have an idea! Captain, how much smaller do you claim these sails are, compared to your fictitious full-sized ones?
CAPTAIN
I usually say they are half the size.
PASSENGER
Half, eh...?
CAPTAIN
Although, to make it sound more official, I've been expressing the comparison as a percentage.
PASSENGER
I see. So you claim you have taken 50% off?
CAPTAIN
Indeed.
The Passenger thinks about this for a moment, then has a spark of inspiration.
PASSENGER
Oh my. Of course! Captain, we must cast off post-haste! I have had my inspiration, and must return to my business at once!
CAPTAIN
Right away.
PASSENGER
Praise the lord, I'm a genius! 50% off sales! At DFS!
THE END