Here's the scenario...

Years ago a friend wanted a bus.  He had an elevated anxiety level as the 
norm and was much worried about getting the most for his money.  He 
looked for a week and hit paydirt.  He was like a puppy whose owner has 
been gone all day, all wagging tail and wet tongue.  

He asked me to go look at it with him, and having nothing better to do on 
a cold Februrary saturday morning, I went.  We walked around it, jacked 
it up, did a compression check - all the Muir recommendations except 
sitting and meditating.  We went about this process methodically.  My 
friend got more enthusiastic as suspension, compression, etc., passed 
cursory muster.  

My friend wanted this bus.  I thought the price was a little high, 
although not unreasonable.  I found myself countering my friends 
enthusasm.  I shut down my emotions, didn't talk much, stood with my arms 
crossed as my friend enthused.  

The owner had gone in and out of his house a little suspicious of two 
longhairs crawling around and getting into areas he had paid other people 
to maintain.  

As we stood around an hour after we had arrived, my friend enthusing, I 
found myself naturally falling into the role of "bad cop".  I nitpicked 
and hedged and gazed off into space when my friend countered my 
objections.  The owner was giving me skeptical looks, irritated 
actually.  

My friend started arguing with me, his enthusiasm turning into irritation 
with me as well.  He was definitely aligned with the owner at this point 
against me.  I suggested we go for a walk and talk.  

He wanted to offer the full asking price, not wanting to chance the 
"other interested buyers that had already looked at the bus and were 
supposed to get back to the owner that day" calling and getting it.  My 
friend seemed to have lost all perspective.  He had found "the" bus.  He 
was also going to pay $400 more than he had budgeted for the initial 
purchase.  

Now, the question is, what should I do, and what should my friend do?  
Could we have done something before looking at the bus (or later busses?)

Jeffrey Olson
Seattle Washington