A smartly dressed man entered a famous jewelry shop one
day. He explained that he wished to buy a pearl for his wife’s birthday. The
price didn’t matter, since business had been particularly good for him that
year. After examining a number of beautiful and expensive pearls, he decided to
choose an excellent black one that cost $5,000. He paid the pearl in cash and
left. A few days later the man returned and said that his wife
had liked the pearl so much that she wanted another one just like it. It had to
be exactly the same size and the same quality. "Can you possibly give me any
advice on how to get such a pearl", said the man. The jeweler regretted fully
and replied, "I would say it’s almost impossible to find one like that
pearl." The millionaire insisted that the jeweler advertise in
the newspaper, and offered $25,000 for the matching one. Many people answered
the ad. But nobody had a pearl that was just right. Just when the jeweler had
given up hope, a little old lady come into the store. To his amazement, she
pulled a perfect pearl from her handbag. "I don’t like to part with it," she
said sadly. "I inherited it from my mother, and my mother inherited it from
hers. But I really need the money." The jeweler was quick to
pay the old lady before she changed her mind. Then be called the millionaire’s
hotel to tell him the good news. Millionaire, however, was nowhere to be
found. How much did the shop lose in the deal ______