Hi Slam,
This is a fantastic story. The tone is full of curiosity. It grabs all the reader's attention and makes them want to read on. The reader is wondering if James will make a deal with Joseph for the strange object. They will read to the last word to find out. The plot is straight forward and moves along logically. In the story, a shop owner has a strange encounter with a customer who has an even stranger object for sale. The conflict is well defined. There is no doubt about what is going on here. The characters are well developed and believable. They come across as real people. There is no dialogue but it is not needed here. The description is detailed and vivid. It puts the reader all the way into the story. The story is well structured and consistent in terms of point of view and tense. You have accomplished a great deal in just a few words. Great job.