I ventured into town this morning to take care of the usual things and also get my iPod screen fixed. I thought I'd ask around the backstreet shops which usually have the signs written on cardboard in marker pen. First stop was in the Market. This place did indeed fix such things and said it would cost "About £40". So i moved up the market to the second stall. I asked the same thing and he asked how much id been quoted and where from. I hoped him seeing his rival had quoted me he would be cheaper. This lad turned around to be on his mobile phone and started talking to someone about how much it was to fix my iPod. 
He put down the phone and said "About 40,45 quid". 
So my iPod would have to go to this bloke on the phone at some stage but where was he. I had some trust issues with leaving my iPod with anyone who can maybe copy all my details and cause me trouble. I moved on to the third place which had a man greet me and look at it and said "£50". So i turned him down saying i knew cheaper offers. This man asked how much id been quoted and where from. So he finally dropped his price to forty. He said it would take only twenty minutes so i said "Go for it". But then this man too picked up his mobile and spoke to a man not present in the room about the repair. Who is this shadowy figure on who they all depend to repair things? Is he in the mafia maybe 
? The kingpin of all breakages. The repairer who doesn't like his work to be viewed by the unskilled eye of the paying customer. What have I uncovered here and how long has it been going on?
Then I remembered that I'd seen something of this before......Noel Edmonds also used to commune with the faceless 'Banker' on Deal or no Deal. This man who as well as controls the boxing up of mystery amounts of cash also fixes screens in local town centre. Facinating! 
After initially saying that it would cost £50 and then £40 he left the phone saying £45. I said "you've not not the hang of this haggling business have you, I said how much and you've said 50,40,45, I'll try someone who knows the answer." And with that I took my broken screened iPod away until the next encounter with The Banker in the near future.