Brad has been taken to collections for the ten dollar import duty on a blender. Not just any blender: a new BlenTec Total Blender capable of shredding brooms. Brad is astoundingly broke and unwilling to give up his principles or his pop-can model of the Great Sphinx. Although Kathleen is willing to lend him the money to cover it, the collection agency adds some very large fees. Only bartering away the blender allows them to settle Brad's debt.