One year and two months ago, blogger Kyle McDonald had a single red paper clip. With this paper clip, he would trade for bigger and better items, and track his progress on his blog (oneredpaperclip.blogspot.com). Last July, in exchange for a movie role, McDonald became the newest occupant of a two-story home in Kipling, Saskatchewan, Canada. His success elicited admiration and disbelief, but most frequently: "Why didn't I think of that?"
Inspired by McDonald's efforts, as well as their serious lack of cash, first-year College students Hunter Tammaro and Andrew Yang decided to follow in the phenom's footsteps and do an experiment for The Cavalier Daily. The catch? They had two weeks. And the paper clips were pink.
Tammaro insisted he was uniquely qualified for the task.
"I was born with a paper clip in my hand," Tammaro said. "I then quickly traded it for scissors to cut the umbilical cord."
Within hours of receiving the paper clip, Tammaro had already made three trades and upgraded to a metal sign and a box of oatmeal bars.
Yang also had a promising start, progressing from paper clip to gum to a coupon for free cotton panties in a single girls' suite.
The easy part was over, however.
"I knew people would trade crap for crap, and maybe trade not-crap for not-crap," Tammaro said. "But would they trade not-crap for crap?"
Most of McDonald's success can be attributed to the popularity of his blog, which prompted Canadian news programs to follow his story. Tammaro, on the other hand, had to rely on word of mouth -- and Facebook. He modeled his wares, posing seductively to show off "a pair of beautiful ladies' necklaces."
Tammaro advertised in the Facebook group: "Subtle, yet glamorous; sexy, yet appropriate for any occasion!"
Meanwhile, Yang had hit a rut. After trading an orange "College" T-shirt for a Beach Babe blanket, and toting the blanket for days to no avail, he reached a startling conclusion: No one wanted a Beach Babe blanket.
Even less desirable were the necklaces. After two tradeless days, Tammaro and Yang were forced to try their luck outside of Grounds.
First-year College student Helen Ye must be acknowledged for her role as Tammaro's supportive, albeit skeptical, girlfriend. She'd humored his obsessions before, and even offered to trade with him. Little did she know she would contribute to Tammaro's greatest trade yet.
Ye is a fan of pianist Vienna Teng, who was scheduled to play at the Gravity Lounge. Tammaro decided to accompany Ye, necklaces in tow, in hopes of getting lucky after his trade hiatus. The following is an account recorded by Tammaro hours after the encounter.
"We stuck around after the show and met Vienna," he wrote in his daily log. "I said, 'I have to tell you a story ...' and explained my quest to her. Eager to help, she disappeared back to the van and returned with a large illustrated book on 'Anatomy and Pathology.'"
Tammaro asked if there was a story behind the book. Teng said she had purchased it at Gunther von Hagens' "Body World" exhibit, displayed throughout North America, where human cadavers are preserved and posed for the public's viewing pleasure.
"Controversy surrounds the origins of these bodies," Tammaro wrote in his log. "While Hagens claims all bodies come from volunteer donors, many accuse him of using the corpses of prison inmates or executed Chinese political prisoners. Personally, I think this is the coolest item I could have possibly traded for."
Yang had a similar approach, attending a Rogue Wave show at the Satellite Ballroom. He waited for band member Gram LeBron, and told him about his mission.
"At first, he said he had nothing worth trading because he was on tour," he said. "I had to suck up and say, 'Because it's yours, it would be valuable it to me.'"
What did he decide to trade?
"His favorite tank top, still rank," Yang said.
LeBron insisted a tank top wasn't enough, and the band would have to autograph it for him.
"It was all personalized," Yang said. "It ranged from 'Go Andrew,' signed Evan, to 'I hardly knew you, but I think I love you,' signed Pat."
Yang was satisfied with the trade, and chose to stop. Tammaro traded once more, and is now the owner of a rice cooker and an I.O.U. for a five-pound bag of rice.
Tammaro is pleased by his trading success, but wishes he had more time.
"My RA mentioned that he has a friend with a mediocre car that he might be willing to trade for something good," he said.
Yang believes he could have benefited from branching out earlier.
"All my trades were with friends," he said. "And I have really stupid friends."
Their story is a lesson to all of us. Next time you think you are broke, think again: There may be a coffee mug full of potential rice cookers, free cotton panties and sweaty tank tops on your desktop.
Incidentally, one of the original pink paper clips has been lost. It was last seen by first-year Engineering student Nelson Bonilla, who used it to secure his homework. Nelson reports that his homework was later returned attached to a different paper clip. If found, he has a bar of soap he'd be willing to trade you for it.
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