Chapter 2
Trading Cobalt
Ed was busy currying a unicorn. He was listening intently at a conversation between Mister Harry's gal pal Hermione and her mother Emma while they petted the docile animal.
"He's decided to try making the stored wands. He's going to call them firesticks to avoid any issues with officious Percy type bureaucrat who might show up from the ICW."
"Talk about another dimension of stupidity," laughed Emma. "I met him once at Kings Cross." Both women burst out laughing.
"But he needs to source 99.9% pure ground cobalt powder. He needs a thousand pounds to make the amount of Firesticks he thinks he can sell. It's a metal and I think it is semi-restricted. He has to be a manufacturer to buy it."
"I'm sure Ted will work something out."
Ed was thinking hard. The elves had lots and lots of sand and more coming in every day. They had a half restored 1969 Mustang Fast Back, Several Barrels of New Grand-Dad Bourbon that was only one year old and Las Vegas Fire Truck with the glitter paint job plus the storage inside the whale filled with this and that. They had lots to trade. Dobby had been very busy with planning his luau. Ed could do trades for Mr. Harry Potter, Sir. He had loads of stuff.'
o0o0o
Ed walked into the custom bike and hot rod shop in Las Vegas. The proprietor didn't look twice at the short guy dressed in the white Italian three-piece suit with the black silk scarf and fedora. All kinds of characters walked into his showroom.
"Hi Mr. Custom man, I be looking for a dude who like to put big horns on stuff with the big green bus?"
"He's in the back."
Ed saluted him as he walked into the back. "Hello Mr. Horn guy."
"Uh, I prefer Mike."
"OK. I'm Ed. I do trades. I heard you had a green tricked out bus with Big Horns all over it."
"I wasn't looking to trade it, Ed."
"Well, you haven't seen my tanker apartment fire engine. Come outside."
"Holy crap Ed. I like the giant Bull horns on the front. Boy the other painter Ryan would love this metal flake paint job. Wow I think this has more horns than my bus. How the hell did you make an apartment on the inside of the tanker?"
"Well Mike, you know, professional secrets. We make good use of space you know."
"Too bad it's red. I'm partial to green."
Ed snapped his fingers as they exited the small apartment in the inside of the fire truck.
"I think your mistaken Mike, the bus is green, same color as your bus."
"Mike shook his head."
"Straight up trade, my fire truck for your bus."
"Sure, let's do it."
Mike walked away. 'I can live in the fire truck. No more paying rent,' he thought!
o0o0o
Joe's Hotrod Bar and Grill across the street from Daytona Speed Way
"Joe why did you trade that weird little guy the Food Truck and a thousand ears of corn for this tricked out bus?
"The truck is on its last legs and I'm going to make the bus into a bar to sell at the speedway on race days. Better than using the food truck, higher margins."
o0o0o
Maine Department of Public Works Highway division.
"How does Ed do it Christopher?"
"I don't know Rob. The storage bays are empty when we go home at night and their full when we come back. Ten thousand tons of sand. In one night. It's like magic Ralph."
"This like the third time? What did you trade this time?"
I traded him a thousand Lobsters, and 500 pounds of steamer clams, half the value of the sand. He was very happy."
"Ever wonder how he can do this?"
"Nope. Golden Goose Rob. And don't ask him any questions either."
o0o0o
The Blue Metal Company
The president of the company looked at the strange little man who had shown up without an appointment, talked his way past the security at the plant parking lot entrance, past the receptionist in the lobby and past his Administrative Assistant who liked no one but was making expresso for them now.
"You seem to be a very resourceful man, Ed, to get by the multiple layers of security to see me. I'm intrigued by how you managed to get this far."
"Have a biscuit Mr. Blue. Well, some folks would say its magic. But I'm a man on a mission. I have a friend whose factory has ground to a halt because of lack of Cobalt powder. He's got a big order and needs one thousand pounds of cobalt, preferably twenty fifty-pound cannisters. So, I'm here to trade."
"Trade?" I sell for cash on the barrel."
"Speaking of barrel. Do you like Bourbon? I've got three 42-gallon barrels of bourbon. Only one year old but aging well. Two more years you could crack open one and let the others sit and age."
"Intriguing, but I prefer cash."
"I can sweeten the pot, so we shall say, with one thousand pounds of live and kicking Maine Lobsters, 500 pounds of steamer clams and one thousand ears of corn. Be kinda nice to do a clambake for your workers, you know those people who help you make money. Just like you was in Maine.
"When can you have that stuff here?"
"This afternoon. Deal?"
"Deal."
o0o0o
"Hey Ted. Thanks for arranging the Cobalt. I saw the garage packed with the tins. And the safety gloves and masks for use when handling it. I can start production once school vacation rolls around. Do you know what happened to the old mustang the elves were fixing up?"
"Harry, you sound like Hermione, give a guy a chance to answer. And please don't tell her I said that. I had nothing to do with it. Talk to Ed. He did trades. He traded sand, a fire truck, a beat up mustang, lobsters, clams, ears of corn, and he came home with your metal powder and a food truck that is now painted like a giant chocolate chip cookie and converted to bake cookies for the lake side honky tonk!"
"Ooh, that sounds great. I'm going to get some cookies. I hope I see Ed."
o0o0o
Agusta National golf course.
"Are you Mr. Pany, the chief cook and bottle washer of this golfie courses?"
"I'm the Chief Executive Officer, yes, and it is golf course, not golfie courses."
"I'm confused, youse have 18 little courses? I'll never figure out the vagaries of the English language."
"Who are you two?"
"Don't get your knickers in a twist. I be Dobby and he be Ed. We's traders. We heard through the grapevine you are about to put out to bid the need for new sand for your; (Dobby started to flip thought his little note book), err bunkers. I think you mean sand traps, bunkers are usually made out of concrete with little holes in them to shoot thought."
"Enough! How did you get in here? What do you want? Why are you bothering me?"
"Easy there mate, you'll have a stroke, Sir. Have an orange drink and a chocolate Éclair. Calm down. Me and Ed just walked in and asked where to find you. It was like Magic! Everyone here is soooo helpful. What do we want? We want to trade with you. Why bother you? Because you be the Big Cheese, the Big Kahuna, the Top Dawg, and as President Harry Truman said, 'The Buck stops here!"
"So you sell sand?"
"NO sir, we trade things. We have the perfect sand for you, makes great place to snare golf balls. Golfers will be so frustrated. Here is a sample bag, open it, run your fingers in it."
"How much?"
"We have enough for your job and then some."
"Cost?"
Six tickets to this year's open, VIP Tent Access and the dozen old golf carts you have the for sale sign on in back of the house club."
"You boys drive a hard bargain. Can you deliver by the end of the week?"
"It will be here tomorrow."
"Then we have a deal. Martha, call Walt in legal, he needs to write me a bill of sale."
"See you tomorrow gents."
o0o0o
Harry stepped out onto the deck from the kitchen with a cup of coffee and a cinnamon bun.
Dobby was reclined in a webbed beach chair with floppy hat, sunglasses and an eye popping florescent Hawaiian shirt.
He was surprised to see Dan whizz by in a jacked-up golf cart, painted bright pink with purple paw prints, with a dozen and a half young elves hanging on for dear life and screaming faster Dan, Faster!
Over by the giant fiberglass Paul Buynon and Babe the Blue Ox statues were eleven other carts all being painted in wild schemes by the young elves.
Harry did a double take as he spied the sign on the back of Dan's cart that said Augusta National Golf Course.
"Err Dobby?"
"Yo Dude?"
"Where did the golf carts come from? They didn't, say; follow you home did they?"
"Nope Great and Wonderful Master Harry Potter Sir, I's traded sand to Augusta National. They needed it for the Open coming up soon, they's have to redo all the sandy bunkers. They were going to sell old carts as they were all wore out. Willy and the boys fixed them last night. Oh and I got six tickets to the open and VIP Tent."
Harry just went back inside thinking that Dobby was indeed the best elf in the world.
o0o0o
Dobby found Ed feeding a young Unicorn in the barn. "Ed, I want to talk to you if you have time."
"What's you want Dobby?"
"We's need to do some more trading. Harry needs more Cobalt powder. He says twice what you got him. He needs a whole ton this time. Biggie order for Firesticks!"
Ed looked at him. I looked up the price in that New York Newspaper. The Call? Err no Wall Street Journal? Anyway, it's almost $54,000 a ton now. Price went way up. Supply being sucked up for batteries! We's need a lot of sand to get him a ton."
We's got a mountain of sand. Problem is that Cobalt company have little use for sand. We's gonna have to go round and round making many trades to get that much Cobalt!"
"We can try other firms?"
"I know but I like Mr. Blue. He needs the help anyway."
'OK."
0o0o0
Big Dry River Smelting plant, Utah, USA.
"Hello Mr. Ablandar."
"How did you two boys get in here, Mr…"
"Just call me Dobby and he be Ed. How we's got here is not important. What is important is that we have a deal for you. We understand that cobalt is produced as a byproduct from your copper and nickel processing?"
"Yes, you are correct."
"And you use lots of sand for molds every year."
"Yes, we do. By the way I like your Hawaiian shirts."
"Thank you, they are very comfortable. We can give you two years of sand for six tons of cobalt ore. Straight up trade."
"Make it three years of sand and we may have a deal. When can you deliver?"
"Tomorrow."
I can go for this deal if you deliver the sand. You wouldn't have a Hawaiian shirt that fit me, would you?"
"Deal, see you tomorrow with the shirt and the sand. Have the cobalt ready to go.
0o0o0
Blue Metal Company
"I'm sorry boys I can't do a trade for Lobsters and Whisky again. I just don't have the funds if I do. I still have to pay my suppliers and people and I can't give them items in trade."
"If we brought you the raw ore could you grind it up into powder like before?"
"I need to figure this out." Mr. Blue muttered while searching his desk. "Dam calculator is never where I left it!"
"I'll help you there, just give me the figures," said Dobby as he pulled out an ancient looking abacus and started pushing beads around as Mr. Blue pitched numbers and wrote on a pad Dobby's answers.
"So, it's a deal then, you give me product to grind and I'll keep one pound for every five I produce for you in payment."
"Deal. We be back tomorrow with ore."
0o0o0
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
"Tony, there are two very strange men in the outer office wanting to see you."
"Do they have an appointment? And why are they strange?"
"No appointment, they just showed up. They are short, not that there is anything wrong with that, and dressed in high end Italian suits, with Hawaiian shirts and have white Stetsons on. They claim they are sand providers."
"Please show them in Grace and brings some cookies and coffee please."
"Mr. Tony George at your service. What can I do for you today."
"Hi I'm Ed, this is Dobby. We's heard you need a heap of sand as you doing the infield of speedy place all over nice nice. We's can provide all you need."
"How much?"
We's don't deal in money much. Usually trade. We's want five years of season tickets for all speedway events for ten people and we's want the replica Eddie Rickenbacker Nieuport aero plane on display in the reception hall. We's collectors you could say."
"That plane is special you know. Eddy was a key figure in this place being what it is."
"I know that but you can't fool me. While the Nieuport is a real one, I know that Eddie's plane is in the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum Annex in Chantilly Virginia awaiting restoration. I can use a real Nieuport."
"Ok, Deal!"
0o0o0
Rocky Shoals Marina, Coral Gables Florida"
"Hey boss the sand guys are here to see you."
Ed strutted in trailed by Dobby who had his abacus and notebook out chewing on a pencil.
Ed pushed his Stetson back on his forehead and introduced themselves to the Director.
"I's Ed and that be Dobby. We got sand, lots and lots of sand. We's heard you need some rocks removed and need sand to pretty up the place. What you got to trade bub?"
"I don't rightly know what you would take, and I need about a half million dollars in work to be done. You sure you can handle that?"
"No problem, answered Ed. We's got a big, big crew. Miracle workers they is. You could say it's magic."
Dobby clacked his beads on the abacus again and put it in his coat. "We's take the five yachts you got on the beach. Deys' looks a mite damaged from the last storm. We's take away for you instead of you breaking them up. I assume you have titles for them?
"Deal."
0o0o0
Glencore Smelting, Pittsburg PA.
"So, mister smelter boss. I believe you process much nickel ore at this facility. Youse also use a lot of sand to make molds. I understand a byproduct of your nickel smelting is cobalt. I needs a long ton of Cobalt ore. I could take that off your hands. Want to trade? I've got sand. Lots and lots of sand."
"I don't know now. I've got lots of sand stockpiled. It doesn't seem that fair a trade, prices being what they are today."
"You want a yacht?" I got a 28 foot Grady White, A 24 Foot Betram, 30 foot Sea Ray, all in tip top condition, all less than ten years old."
"I'll take the Sea Ray."
"Deal."
0o0o0
"Hey Harry, are you taking flying lessons?"
"Why do you ask Dan?"
"Oh, just a flatbed in the driveway unloading a World War one Nieuport aero plane with a hat in the Ring Squadron logo on the nose. Bunch of little German flags on it under the name Rickenbacker.
"Dobby!
0o0o0
Big Texas Stadium.
Hello Mary Lou, Mr. Jones in today? Have some flowers, I picked these special for you."
"Oh Ed, you are so sweet. I really liked the chocolate you gave me last time," she drawled.
"Here have some Swiss Truffles, I'm sure you will like this chocolate also Mary Lou."
Dobby pulled Ed's arm. "Say goodbye and stop flirting. Mr. Jones is in his office.
"Jerry! How good to see you. We's hoping you could help us."
"Mary Lou, hold all my calls. What's on your mind's boys?"
"We's working on a big trade and need school books for a library, half in English and half in Spanish, all forms, err grades, as they say in the US, K thru 12, all subjects. Do you know anyone that could help us? Oh, and before I forget, this box is for you mama. It's got all sorts of treats in it."
Jerry looked in the box. "Caviar, crackers, escargot, champagne, Belgian and Swiss chocolates." He raised an eyebrow with a questioning look.
"It's just a little thank you for the muffins she made and sent us. Everyone loved them. They were delicious."
"She does bake a good muffin. Now to your problem I may be able to help you after all. Marylou, Call Bob Nimrod at the State House for me will you."
"Hello Bob! It's Jerry, I trust all's well. Did you make an award yet for getting rid of all them old school books in the repository yet? NO! Great! The bids were all too expensive and you are shelving it for a year, you say. Well don't be hasty Bob, I got a solution for you, I'm sending them over to your office, they will be by in about an hour. Hear them out. They is good people and I've done several deals with them already."
"Now you too boys go see my friend Bob. I'm sure he can help you out if you help him out. Now the first home game of pre-season is in four weeks. I'll do a promotion; get a free hot dog and soft drink for every new book they bring to the stadium. What you going to do with them?"
"We's building a few libraries at new schools in Columbia, up in the mountains where they grow coffee. Most of the towns have very little for schools so we be helping out."
o0o0o
Texas State House, office of General Manager of Real Estate
"Mr. Nimrod, thank you for seeing us."
Bob looked at the two short men dressed in the latest Italian silk suits and shivered.
"Mr. Jerry told us you need to clean out a building, and it's full of old school books and supplies. Well, we's can help you there. We can clean it out, broom clean, make everything go away and do it in one night."
"How much, the bids I got were very high. I don't have the budget."
"Oh no worries Mr. Bob. Non cash exchange. We clean up the joint for you, and we keep everything we take away. Youse benefit and we's benefit."
"No cash huh? Ok I can live with that. When can you do it?"
"How's this Friday night, we'll be back with our crew. Just make sure no one's around. We will finish in one night."
"Well Jerry says you good people, so deal!"
0o0o0
Blue Metal Company
Back again boys?"
"Yes, we acquired another ten tons of ore for you to process. Same split."
"Dam you boys work fast. I'll have the ore processed, tell me where it's to be delivered."
0o0o0
Dobby and Ed were floating on the lake in a lounger.
"Ed, why did you take the plane?"
"Harry likes to fly."
"But he's got a Firebolt?"
"Harry's an adrenaline junkie. We'll do a trade for some flying lessons for him."
"OK, we got three boats left over, that may help."
"Inventory Dobby, trading Inventory. Never know when you might need something other than sand to trade."
"Do you think we should look for a giant water slide for the lake front?"
"Good idea, the elflings will love it!"
0o0o0
"Hello Jerry, we's here to pick up the books."
"Well I got a truck load, for you boys, 60,000 books, all reading levels. You all set now. How did you do with Bob?"
"We's cleaned out the depository. He told us to take everything, so we took the supplies that were there also. Left it broom clean like instructed. We's off to Columbia now.
o0o0o
Robusto Fair Trade Coffee Co-Op, Andes Mountains Columbia
"Ed and Mr. Dobby, you are back so quickly?"
"Yes Senor Juan. We's ready to deal."
"You have school books, no?"
"Si, we have school books, enough for ten schools and their libraries. Text books and readers for all grades. We'll have a container here next week."
"How much?"
Well, we will trade, no cash. Like we talked about. What we can do is put up the ten school buildings, they are not that big, one in each village of the co-op. Then we stock it with the books. In return we want coffee beans as discussed. Two tons this year and then two tons each year after until you meet the commitment."
"That's all you want?"
"Si!"
"Deal."
"When can you do this task?"
"We will be here with a crew next week."
o0o0o
"Hi Winky, how's things? You look a little stressed today," asked Emma.
"I've got one hour left on babysitting duty here, and I can't wait to see that end, but that's not what's weighing on my mind Emma."
"I worried about Ed and Dobby. The past few days they been off talking up a storm. They staked out an area on the other side of the lake into a big and small oval. They had surveyor's levels, optical rods, little flags, they were pushing dirt around with the Bobcat machine. Had a bunch of their 'friends" helping them. I shudder to think of what they are doing next."
"I'm sure it's nothing to be concerned about. Maybe they will be putting in a new garden. They did get all those seedlings in a trade last week."
0o0o0
"Hello Jerry? It's me Ed!"
"What can I do for you Ed?"
"I'm a looking for some used aluminum stands, enough for about 200 people or so. Any idea where I can find some."
"Youse' be in luck Ed, my friend. I be making my practice facility a mite bigger and we's replacing them. You haul them away youse can have them."
"Deal Jerry."
His secretary Mary Lou walked into his office. "Mr. Jones 'Youse" been talking to Ed too much, youse beginning to sound like him."
0o0o0
Dobby walked into the biweekly meeting of the Lakes team. "I'm looking for volunteers for a quick job in the Colombian mountains. Coffee country. We's be building ten small schools for the Fair Trade Co-Op villages. This is service people. I need a crew to help with transfiguring sand to cement blocks, sealing them, and stacking them up. Also transfiguring some scrape aluminum, glass, and steel to make windows and roofing. Youse be gone for five days. Us elves will handle the tents and food. Think my barbecue! You'se be doing a good thing. Helping kiddies. Now who's in?"
Every hand was raised.
"Thank you all. Be here at 6:00 a.m. tomorrow."
0o0o0
Fair Trade Coffee Co-Op Andes Mountains Columbia.
The lakes team was all in attendance in the meeting tent. Dobby was at the podium. "Thank you all for coming. I've assigned everyone to teams. Team 1 will be transfiguring steel scrap to metal roofing. This is the example for you to replicate. Teams 2 will be transfiguring scrap aluminum, glass and plastic to make windows. This is the example for you to follow. All of them the same. Teams 3 and 4 will be making foundations and concrete floors, and when done will make blocks. Teams 5 through 8 will make concrete blocks. Half will be at one building site and half at the other. When you have made enough blocks for that site you will move on to the next. Team 9 will be with the plumbers and Team 10 with the electricians. With some luck you can complete your tasks and go home in a few days. The elven teams will assemble the buildings. Ed will describe the building project."
Ed stepped up to the podium and began.
We have ten sites in ten villages. Each village is about ten miles apart from the next and follow the ridge line behind us. We are half way between all the sites. We building the same building in all the sites. Basically a 40 foot wide by 25 foot deep building with a hip roof. On one side there will be a smaller building of 20 by 20 that will be the library. Just do your jobs and pay attention to the foremen on site. When each building is done we will put the books inside the library. Everyone work safe now. Carmen the chef says foods ready, come to the mess tent."
0o0o0
Dobby, Ed I can't believe you finished in just four days. This is incredible. All the people are grateful for the schools and the books. If you ever need a place to stay, consider this your home. The villages are in awe of what you and your team has accomplished. I have the first installment of coffee for you in your camp site.
0o0o0
Thunder Bay, Ontario. Westfort Maroons Hockey rink Auction.
"The auction will start in five minutes! Take your seats please!"
"Francois, look at those two men," said one of the bidders, to his friend, a notorious gossip, and local man looking for a cheap bargain at the auction.
"Gabriel they certainly look shifty. White Italian suits, Hawaiian shirts, silk bandanas and black fedoras. I ain't gonna buck them on what they bid on. They look 'connected." Help me pass the word."
Word traveled fast around the rink and a feeling of tension rent the air.
"First lot up is 200 hockey sticks. Who will start bidding at $200?"
There was a lot of whispering, but no one said a word to bid and Ed spoke up. "One Dollar!"
"Any other bids? No? Sold to number 345.
"Next lot is 200 pairs of youth skates. Who will start the bid at $500."
Total silence and after a moment, "Ed held up his number and shouted One Dollar."
"The auctioneer looked around. Anyone? No. Then sold to number 345."
In the next five minutes Ed purchased pads and uniforms, Sno Cone, Cotton Candy and popcorn machines and the entire snack bars cooking equipment for a total of eleven dollars.
"Ok folks, last lot. Let's please have some spirited bidding for this here Zamboni."
A number of people looked at Ed and held up their cards and yelled one Dollar!"
"Ed held up his number. Two Dollars"
"Sold! Number 345."
0o0o0
"Yes detective, they bought it all. All the boards and glass, the snack bar and all the cooking equipment, all the pads, uniforms, pucks, sticks and the two goals. You are correct, no one bid on any of the items until we came to the Zamboni. Then they out bid everyone."
"How many people were at the Auction? We sold 600 numbers at 5.00 apiece. I have no idea why no one bid."
"I heard that the two who bought everything were strange looking and connected."
"Nope, they were just two short fella's, wore expensive clothing that's for sure, they were gentlemen throughout the time, and they paid cash."
0o0o0
"Hi Mom. Why are you dressed in ski pants, winter coat and have a big thermos of hot chocolate," asked Hermione?
"I'm going to meet Dan and the rest of the kids to watch hockey."
"What? Where?"
"Come with me in the golf cart, it's on the other side of the lake. Ed and Dobby built it for the little elves, their playing a game today."
Arriving Hermione was gob smacked. It was cold. The elves created a micro climate. There was a regulation size rink with another smaller oval to the side. There were two huge wooden bears carved from tree trunks holding hocky sticks on a stand next to a new snack bar. Every NHL team logo was on banners hung against the walls. The smell of popcorn and hot chocolate filled the air. There were 200 adult elves in the stands eating popcorn. In the regulation size rink was a line of little elves all dressed in full hockey gear, racing from the red line to the blue line, picking up a puck on the fly and unleashing a slapshot at the goalie.
"Hi Dad, what's the second smaller rink used for, "asked Hermione?
"Short track speed skating dear. Just in time for the first matches! Look at the Zamboni, that's Dobby driving."
"Dad, it's forest green with metal flake paint and has mag wheels and more chrome than I've ever seen!"
"Yes, Harry helped Dobby trick it out."
0o0o0
Asphalt:
"Dobby!"
"Can't you see I'm busy relaxing Ed? Sit have some cranberries and juice in a coco nut cup. Want a Cuban cigar?"
"Dobby, I just found out Mr. Harry Potter Sirs is setting up a road patching business. He's gonna need a lot of Asphalt! Did you know that sand is a big part of Asphalt?"
"We can trade!"
"We can get rid of the equipment in the backlot. Have Wiley and the mechanics fix them up."
0o0o0
Dan and Dobby were sitting at the Tikki bar. Dobby was eating pineapple chunks while sipping on a cranberry juice cocktail and Dan was enjoying an old distilled Scottish beverage when Ed sat down next to him and sighed.
"What's up Ed?"
"We be close to out of sand. Harry not be making lakes lately. We will not have sand to trade soon."
"Can you two trade anything else," asked Dan?
"Of course we can, we trade sand because it was free and a mountain. Elveses can trade anything," answered Ed. "It just be the sand is free."
"Dobby be thinking that Dan has something for us to trade?"
"You know that Harry's water plants will produce a lot of Sea Salt, tons of it, a steady supply."
Ed and Dobby's ears stood straight up. "Sea Salt! Pickles!"
0o0o0
Dilly Doo Pickle Company.
"Hello Mr. Dilly, this be Ed and I'm Dobby. We've got sea salt and a lot of it. I hear you make the best sea salt cured Pickles anywhere."
Mister Dilly looked at his visitors and thought, these guys look like gangsters. White silk suits, black fedoras, I'd better be careful.
"That is opinion, and I share it. I'm also the largest sea salt cured pickles provider in England."
"We'd like to trade our premium 99.999% pure sea salt. It's even free of microplastic."
"You're not selling your trading?"
"Best to leave no paper trails in our business."
"That so? I can deal with that. What can you offer?"
"Well, we can provide you a year's supply of sea salt in return we'd like two truckloads of pickles and that "Merry Go Round that is in your parking lot."
"Deal, I never got around to having it restored."
0o0o0
The Blue Metal Company
"Mr. Blue, thank you for seeing us again today."
"No problem, you boys need more Cobalt powder?"
"We do, lots of it, tons. But we's after some information first before talking trades. We be in the trading business and now we have another line, Sea Salt. Do you know who uses it and do you have any interest?"
"You should look at food producers, salt packagers, animal food providers, they all use sea salt as an additive. There is a company right down the road that makes big blocks of salt for farm animals. You put them in a field and the cows and horses lick the salt up. As I explained the last time, I can't do a trade right now. I've debts and payroll to service. The market is tough right now. I'm a refiner, not an extractor. Other companies get the Cobalt out of ore that has Copper and Nickel. Cobalt is a byproduct. I get the cobalt as little pellets. I have machines that process it into a powder. We put the pellets into a hopper feeder, it goes on a conveyor belt to a grinding machine which makes it into a powder, then it goes through a vacuum system of tubes to be packaged. Then I sell that. And there is my problem, my equipment is old and breaking down. I've got quotes to rebuild them but its near the cost of new. I don't have the money.
"We can help you there Mr. Blue. I've got a crew that can make your machines as good as new. Give me a weekend with no one here and I'll have everything look and working like it was made yesterday."
"You're talking about a million dollars of work there Dobby and Ed."
"How many tons of Cobalt would you trade for that job"?
"Another no cash deal," mumbled Mr. Blue. "At $35K a ton, three tons to a 100K, times ten equals 30 tons, less my cost of goods and production. I could give you twelve tons of refined cobalt powder for the job. And that will stretch my loan quite a bit. But then my production goes up and the unit cost goes down and I can sell the remainder to service debt and make payroll."
"Deal, we will take ten tons to give you a little breathing room. Do you like pickles?"
"If it's Dilly's I do!"
"Have a case of jars on us."
"We's gonna need Mr. Harry, Dobby."
"I'll take care of that."
0o0o0
Harry was sitting on a lounge chair at the edge of the lake and drinking an iced tea while dangling his feet in the cool water. He was laughing as he watched the little elves flying around on their bogie boards. A group of adults were busy painting the horses on the merry go round that showed up yesterday. It arrived as a big pile of stuff and the elves had worked miracles putting it together and fixing the mechanicals overnight. Now it seemed like an army of them were swarming it polishing all the brass work, lubricating parts, repairing the calliope mechanism.
'I should take Hermione on that, I bet she'd like it', thought Harry.
Dobby walked up to him. "Mr. Harry Potter Sir, Dobby wishing to talk to you."
"Where did you get the Merry-Go-Round Dobby?"
"Same place we got the two truckloads of pickles."
"Oh." Seeing as he was in his serious mode, he gave Dobby his full attention.
Dobby and Ed be doing a big trade for cobalt. But we's need you for one night to help in trade."
"Just tell me when Dobby."
0o0o0
Blue Metal Company:
Dobby popped Harry to the corner of the factory next to big hoppers that held the unprocessed cobalt. "Now you summon all the cobalt dust and us eleves will direct it into the bins."
Harry held out his staff and summoned all the cobalt dust from everywhere in the factory and the elves directed it into the hoppers. It was interesting to see the line of elves casting magic and pushing all the dust flowing towards Harry into the shape of a stream of water from a hose. In just the space of a minute they collected almost a ton of cobalt dust.
"Now youse cast big power reparo at the equipment starting over here Mr. Harry Potter Sirs," said a grey-haired elf named Tinker, who was wearing a leather apron, as he pointed to the start of one production line. "Use cast reparo's and us Elves will do the rest of the works. Everything be hunky dory when we's done."
Monday morning and Mr. Blue was walking around the factory with Dobby and Ed before the first shift came in for work.
"All the equipment has been serviced. Everything refurbished, lubricated, tested and made like brand new. You will get another 100 thousand hours out of this before you need to replace. We even recovered a ton of cobalt powder while doing the work."
"The entire factory is so clean. The equipment looks like it came out of the shipping containers from the manufacturer. This is amazing, I swear it's like magic."
Dobby and Ed beamed at him. "We will be here next week to pick up the cobalt."
0o0o0
Corporate offices of Namak Brand Sea Salt
"Mr. Namak Mr. Dobby and Mr. Ed are here to see you."
"Edith, please don't tell me one's a horse."
She smiled at him. I'm not sure they will appreciate your humor, Mr. Namak. They look quite serious, White Silk Italian suits, black fedoras and black scarfs. I'd be careful."
"Welcome gentlemen, what can I do for you today."
Dobby handed over a clear plastic bag of sea salt. "This is our product. 99.999 pure, no microplastics and Pacific Ocean hand harvested sea salt from our private operations.
How much do you use a month?
"About ten tons."
Dobby and Ed's eyes lit up. 'Just about all our production Ed thought.'
"Taste it please."
"Oh, this is good. How much?"
"Tons. We produce over ten tons a month, all year."
"I meant how much a ton."
"Well, we usually trade. Noncash exchange. You got anything interesting you'd trade?"
Interested in a food truck?"
"Nope got one."
"Boat?"
"Nope got several."
"Barbecue? I would trade good barbecue from Penny's Pig Roast down the road."
"Ok we deliver ten tons a month of our premium sea salt and you get us one thousand pounds of ribs a month. We'll pick up."
"Deal, never can have too much good sea salt."
Dobby was thinking, the same,' never can have too many barbecue ribs.'
0o0o0
Skarv Danish Gourmet foods, Denmark.
"Hello Mr. Skav, I be Ed this be Dobby. We hear you need good quality sea salt."
Mr. Skav shivered as he looked at the two menacing looking men.
"That's right, I use sea salt to make award winning Corned Beef and Pastrami for the European Market. We make with Sea Salt for the discriminating Palette."
"We can provide almost pure, no microplastic Pacific Ocean sea salt."
"How much?"
"We produce tons a month. How much do you use?"
"Can you do five tons a month?"
"Easy, we'll charge you 50 percent of what you pay now if you commit to a year's supply of 60 tons delivered in monthly installments. Then in return you will pay us one full truckload of Corned Beef every six months."
"Deal."
0o0o0
Cow Lick Salt Blocks
"Mr. Lick I'm Ed. I have Sea Salt. Tons of it. Interested in using my product instead of regular salt? It's pure and no microplastics. Here taste a sample."
"Sea salt is a mite expensive compared to regular salt I use."
Maybe so, but my salt is better, full of many minerals that aminals need to be healthy. I have 75 tons of Sea Salt available. Care to do a trade?"
"You're an Elf ain't ya?"
"Oh!"
"No worries, I'm a magical. I've got two unicorns, both five years old I'd trade for the salt. My little girls are grown up now."
"Deal."
0o0o0
Play Sand Inc. corporate offices.
"I like their elephant logo Ed."
"Maybe we can get it as part of the deal? Let's go in."
"Thank you for the Belgian Chocolates and fresh roses Ed. The truffles are delicious and the smell of the roses is just divine in my office. Mr. Petrie will see you now."
"Ed bowed and kissed her hand. "The pleasure is all mine, Jennifer. Mr. Petrie is sure lucky to have such a wonderful and beautiful assistant."
She blushed and held open the door.
"Hello I be Ed and this be Dobby."
Mr. Petrie gulped and looked the two up and down. He had a bad feeling, they looked like trouble. Was he in for some labor trouble or worse. "Err, I like your suits. They look Italian."
"They are, they from Milan. I can give you our tailors name if you want. We's here because we's heard you just got a big contract to sell bagged sand to the big box home improvement store, DIY Depot and their competitor Highs N' Low DIY. We heard you need to produce 150 thousand bags a month. That's a lot of sand buddy. We got sand. Want to deal?"
"I got factories in ten states to distribute all the sand. How much and can you deliver to them?"
Of course we can. And we have all the sand you need, at least for the next three years. Good clean sand. All grades from play sand to fine for mortar mixing, to coarse for making concrete. All clean. "
"How much will you charge me?"
"We's usually don't accept cash, we's prefer to trade. What you got? We will take just about anything. Do you have any paving equipment? We's looking for rollers, asphalt spreader, dump trucks. Old or new, working or not."
"I don't have any of that but I have a friend in the asphalt business, let me call him."
"Jennifer, please get Joey Bitumen on the phone."
"Line 3 Mr. Petrie!"
"Joey, Rob Petrie here, you're on speaker, you still got all that old equipment you trying to get rid of?"
"Yes."
"Can I have it?"
"Take all eight vehicles off my lot as soon as possible. You're doing me a favor."
"Boys I think I got a deal for you."
We's find that acceptable but you'se gotta throw in the big pink fiberglass elephant in the parking lot."
"Deal!"
0o0o0
North Shore Coffee Roasters
"You got the list Dobby," asked Ed?
"Of course. I Never leave home without it."
"Hello Ms. Kahvesi, I be Dobby and he is Ed. We's looking for a coffee roaster."
She looked at the two short fellows with large Stetsons on and smiled. "I don't sell Coffee Roasting machines."
Dobby looked at Ed and sighed. "No mam, you don't understand. We have premium Fair Trade coffee beans and need them roasted, ground and packaged. We's heard you does a great job. We's here to trade."
"I'm sorry I misunderstood. I can help you. How much coffee do you have?"
"Two tons now, then two tons every year for the next nine years."
"I can work up a price, I buy the bags in bulk so they are cheap, the cost is in the labor for roasting."
"We are looking to do a non-cash deal. You know barter."
"OK I'm listening."
Dooby started flipping through his little note book.
"What are you interested in? We's got boats, planes and automobiles."
Raising one eyebrow, she said: "No trains?"
Dobby flipped though his book, Nope, no trains."
She smiled. "Never mind, Go on."
We's have restaurant equipment. Anything for a commercial kitchen."
She shook her head no.
"Chia pets, Adverting icons? A Mr. Peanut, A Paul Bunyon, A Green Giant statue. A giant shoe, a life size pink elephant. We have neon, lots of neon signs, all kinds."
"Nope."
"Bourbon, Champagne, Caviar?"
"Huh ah, nope."
"Youse being a hard case, missy. We got sand, sea salt, Belgian and Swiss cholate, truffles from Italy, escargot from France."
"No, I need cash. I am saving for a new coffee roaster machine ."
Dobbys' ears popped straight up. Luckily Ms. Kahvesi was looking away at the moment.
"Why's didn't you say so earlier. We's have a brand new still in the shipping crate gas fired 33lb OZTURK Commercial Coffee Roaster. Arguably considered one of the best in the business, right from Turkey. We will swap it straight up for you to roast, grind and package our two tons this year and the next two years."
"That is an expensive machine. Top of the line. I don't think it is a fair trade. You are giving me too much. How about I do four years of your coffee instead of the next two? I'd feel better about that?"
"Deal. We will bring the roaster and coffee beans tomorrow morning."
0o0o0
"Wow, this coffee is fabulous mom! Where did you buy it?"
"Dobby and Ed got it. They did some volunteer work with the lake crews and built some schools and collected books for a Fair Trade Coffee Co-Op in Columbia. Came home with premium beans and then traded a coffee roaster to a firm and presto chango we have great coffee!"
"What until Dad and Harry taste this excellent coffee."