three euros well spent

I went to the bike shop to buy a new bike lock, because I lost the old one. The guy at the shop, who is little and white-haired and has a permanent coating of grease (and therefore also has my undying admiration) showed me the selection.

Him: 'Do you want red, blue, black or yellow?'
Me: 'Black, I suppose.'
Him: 'Too bad. It only comes in red or yellow.'

At this point, a proper Reggiana in capris, linen shirt and Gucci shades interrupts.

Her: 'Have you looked [at my bike]?'
Him: 'Probably. I'm forever looking at something or other. I have eyes, you see, so I don't really have a choice.'

Then he turns back to me. I choose a red lock. He spends five minutes spraying WD40 on the it, and locking and unlocking it a few times until he's sure I know how the mechanism works (if you're curious, it goes: (1) insert key; (2) turn).

As I'm walking out he turns back to Ms Reggio and says, with no apparent irony: 'Madam has left a bicycle here for repairs?'