You Said It

I've been paying 30 birr for taxi rides into town lately, and pretty much accept that as the regular price that I'm going to pay (I've unknowingly paid 50 before). Knowing the right price, of course, makes it a lot easier to haggle, but I think I've got it just about right. Since the outcome is always the same, the major difference is how long you argue with them before you settle on 30.
I walked up to a taxi driver (they hang out on the corner) and told him where I wanted to go.
"How much?" I asked.
"Fifty," he says.
I pause, then offer, "How about twenty?"
His eyes widen a little and he mentions this to his friend standing next to him. He looks back to me.
I say, "It's not that far. Just over there."
Then he explains, "Well, you see, we take people all the time for 30 or 40." ...I'd somehow managed to get him to utter the word thirty first! Amazing!
"Okay, 30 it is!" I exclaimed, and practically jumped in the car before he did.