A Tricky Deal

Mr. Samuel  was very shrewd. Of the many plots he owned, he wanted to dispose off one. He wanted the best price for it. If he had opted the traditional method, it would not have fetched him a good price. A serious customer Mr. Joseph approached him showing his interest to buy the plot. He made sure that the plot is sold at the maximum price.

He invited his friends Mr. Thomas and Mr. Antony to come the next day at 8.00 a.m. near the plot he intended to sell off on the pretext that he wanted to have their inputs in planting horticultural crops in the field as one of them was a horticulturist and the other an agronomist. They reached  at the given time there.

Upon reaching the plot, Mr. Samuel  indicated that they may wait a few minutes. He was already having negotiation with Mr. Joseph, who had a habit of purchasing things secretly.  Now that Mr. Joseph saw Mr. Thomas and Antony, who were also known to Mr. Joseph,  near the  plot, which he wanted to buy, and having got briefed that they have come to buy the plot even at a higher rate offered to him, Mr. Joseph finalized the deal at once at the cost set by Mr. Samuel. The deal was immediately finalized as Mr. Joseph felt that the plot was in high demand and any delay could result in owning the plot by his friends.

Having the deal got  finalized and Mr. Joseph gone,  Mr. Samuel asked his friends to come to the plot and asked their opinion as to the horticultural crops to be grown and the agricultural practices to be followed, which they suggested happily.

The next day, when Mr. Thomas and Antony were on a morning stroll, they found Mr. Joseph in the plot, getting the land ploughed. Upon seeing him doing the work, they asked him how come he is there and what he was doing. Then, Mr. Thomas told them that he bought the field from Mr. Samuel the other day at the rate agreed between them. Mr. Thomas and Mr. Antony asked him whether  he was cultivating the crops and agricultural practices suggested to Mr. Samuel. Then, and then only Mr. Joseph learnt he was cheated.