The one thing that amazes me about the kids around here is the way they trade stuff.  When I was younger, trading was usually done in the spirit of profit.  The unscrupulous kids would look to take advantage of the younger inexperienced kids by scamming them out of valuables, and the scrupulous ones would simply try to get the best exchange rates possible, in order to amass wealth--or what passed for wealth in the grade school set.  

Per and his friends have a much different view of trades.  It's like they run a sort of "Netflix" system, where once they've had an item for a day or two, they tire of it, and are ready to exchange it for something else.  But there's no hierarchy of value.  Amongst the Lego figures, a limited edition Darth Vader with Silver lightsaber is equal in value to a faceless clone trooper that comes with half the SW sets.  One for one trading prevails.  The Bakugan market is similarly managed--while there is some excitement over the ones that have more power for gameplay--or should I say "theoretical gameplay", since I've never once seen the kids do anything other than drop them around and make them pop open--the excitement does not translate into the trading.  A single Bakugan is worth another single Bakugan.

A couple of weeks ago, Per mentioned that he was having trouble trading with a kid up the road.  He said he'd handed over his Bakugan, but B had not brought in the promised ones in return.  Some of the parents hate the whole trading market, but I tolerate it.  I figure, these are good life lessons to learn now, with cheap plastic toys, than to learn later when higher dollar amounts are at stake.  But, I try to stay out of it as much as possible, other than to remind Per that both parties should be pleased with a trade, and if one isn't, then they really need to trade back.  When he told me that this trade wasn't going well, I didn't say or do anything.  I figured they would work it out on their own.

Fast forward to this week.  We're standing at the bus stop on Wednesday, and the other kid marches up and announces "I know what you're going to say, and NO, I don't have the Bakugan that I owe you."  He had the sort of tone like he didn't plan on fixing that situation any time soon, so I said to him "This has been going on too long.  You boys need to get this trade ironed out by the end of the week.  If you don't have the one you promised him, then you should both just give each other back what you started with."  After the bus left, I mentioned the situation to the father (who'd been in a car, so he'd missed the conversation).  Turns out the other boy isn't supposed to be trading in the first place, but the father agreed that he'd make sure the original stuff was returned to Per by the next day.  Thursday arrives, and the boy marches up to Per and hands him a Bakugan.  The father says "Now Per just needs to give B back *his* Bakugan."  What?!!  I turn to Per and ask "Do you have one of B's Bakugan still?"  The father says to B "Does Per still have one of your Bakugan?"  The boys both begin this long rambly "Well, I gave him Draco and he was going to give me Robotillion and then I thought Snargobot would be better..." sort of non-explanation.  The dad and I both are like "What EXACTLY do you each have?"  Turns out Per has one Bakugan of B's that needs to be returned, but we know exactly where it is.  Great--we're all set.

This morning, I pull out B's Bakugan for Per to take up to the bus stop, when Per announces "Oh, and B just needs to give me Roboblargh."  A few minutes of discussion where I explain that he had his chance yesterday to mention Roboblargh, and that there was NO WAY that I was going to go to the father and suddenly ask for another Bakugan when Per had his chance yesterday to mention that he still needed it.  Per is grouchy, and I fear that there'll be some drama on the bus.  Luckily, however, B remembered Roboblargh on his own, and the trade was completely reversed with no hard feelings.  Peace returns to the bus stop.

Of course, just as the bus arrives, B pulls out a new Bakugan to show Per.  The last thing Per says as they are getting up on the bus is "Oh, I would give anything to have THAT Bakugan!!!"  When do they start learning these life lessons?!