Isn't it GREAT when things fall together???

[Virge]

I started to post this on East's thread about what did you love today... but didn't want to hog it.

Also posting this here will make it easy for me not to have to tell about the last few days to everyone individually.

I left here Wednesday afternoon with my super great first real employee, Matt, heading to Dothan, Alabama to see a new potential customer who's been after me for months to come see him... a 1700 mile drive. He'd heard about me from a guy who's been to our Bed & Breakfast. We got there Thursday afternoon. I was a bit disappointed that he bought so little. After standing around talking to him some great things happened.

The first was he not only gave me a name and directions to another potential customer, he called the guy and put me on the phone with him. More about that later.

The next thing was he started talking about all the things he would be interested in buying on my next trip. I made a list as he named the off. Then he asked me to give him an estimate on how much all of it would cost. I did it... and then when I saw the final number I was afraid to say it out loud. I showed it to him. His next words made my day..and made the whole trip worthwhile... "Do you want half of that now?"

The fact that he offered was enough. I told him no. I wanted to kiss him to tell the truth.

The next morning Matt and I headed out early to the store he put us on to... three hours away in Pensacola Florida. I wanted to be sitting there when he opened. My phone rang, and it was the guy from Dothan, saying, "I got up this morning and felt like a dummy for not telling you about the place in Panama City, Florida." PC is just 90 minutes south of Dothan. He gave me the number but before I could call it the guy from PC called me....

The guy in Pensacola made up for what the guy in Dothan didn't buy. And... he wants me to come back with other things as soon as possible.

We left there and drove 90 minutes to Foley, Alabama to drop off a load of caskets that were already paid for. The caskets are made by Native Americans in South Dakota. While we were unloading them on of the guys said we needed to be selling them in Atmore, Alabama where they have a pretty big population of Creeks. We left there to drive 45 minutes to greenhouses near Fairhope Alabama to pick up Valentines plants. Mini rosebushes, african violets, azaleas, orchids, and things I didn't even know about. I get paid good money for hauling them back so all I saw was green.

From there we headed back to Pensacola. It was 2:30 when we got a hotel room downtown not far from the biggest gay bar there. Even though it was colder than back home in South Dakota Matt and I changed clothes and drove out to see the beach. People... if you have never seen Pensacola Beach you are missing out on one of the prettiest sights on the earth. We drove east on the island where it was deserted and got out. The sand is whiter than any I've ever seen. Really as white as snow. It was so pretty I felt bad messing it up with foot prints.

One reason I wanted to go back to Pensacola is that Jay and I are going to do our "last big thing" as single guys there Memorial Day 2015 when tens of thousands of gays hit the beaches there. I saw why they go there. I brought home sand to show Jay. He's spent all his life on beaches and even he's amazed with it.

So Matt and and I got naps, then ate WHATABURGERS before going to Roundup and then to Emerald City. Matt's straight, good looking in a geeky way and he's Norwegian but speaks perfect English. I watched out for him but he was having a real good time and the people were all super friendly. All I had to do was tell one guy that Jay and I are getting married in July and he started introducing us to other married couples... MY GOSH! I wish I could remember all their names.!!!!!

It was like stepping into a dream. I think I called Jay eight times telling him about it all.

Then Saturday morning we got up loaded up on seafood in two big coolers and headed, drove around looking, found another store to sell to, and headed north back home... and had to go through Atmore Alabama. The place the guy in Foley told us about was closed but I'll be calling them in the morning.

Originally my plan was to get back home Saturday because it was the grand opening of the laundromat my business partner/best friend Ray and I went in as partners with another guy to bring to our town. Ray and my Jaybird said they could handle it and for me to take care of the OTR sales.

It didn't take long to unload the plants. When Matt and I drove up to the house, Jaybird was outside loading things in his car. I got one kiss and was TOLD not to even think about going in and sitting down. I had to go help at the laundromat. Ray had worked things out with the grocery store, the Korean Restaurant, the new Gyro shop, the new games shop AND the laundromat to do a Saturday and Sunday promotion --- samples from the 2 restaurants, free soft drinks, and all that. You have to understand that in a real small close knit town like ours... anything like that is always the best entertainment around. It was outrageous. Plus the weather was like spring. There had to be 30 kids and at least twice that many adults. The laundromat? hahahahaha! The "owner" and the girl helping him were swamped. We didn't think about him putting in three of the giant sized washers and what that would mean. Once word got out about them people started bringing in their comforters that are too big for regular washers and I had to laugh. They had comforters piled up behind the counter so bad there was almost no room to get behind it.

And on top of everything ... the guy I've been hoping would decide to run for mayor was there networking and telling people he's decided to do it. I didn't wait for him to ask me. I volunteered to do ANYTHING he needs done to help him win.

Oh... and my dogs and cats are sure glad to see me...

So... when I think about all the things I've loved today... I have a yard long list of people... and you guys are on it too.

I missed you all this past week. Now you're going to have to put up with me in one of the best moods of my life for awhile.

V

[meridannight]

seems like you had great time. good to hear.

i'm not much for going to the beach, but i'd love to see the Pensacola beach some day. sounds like a dream.

[Virge]

seems like you had great time. good to hear.

i'm not much for going to the beach, but i'd love to see the Pensacola beach some day. sounds like a dream.

It's the prettiest beach I've ever seen.
I've seen them in Australia, New Guinea, Hawaii, South Carolina, Gibraltar, Isatabu (Guadalcanal), Malaita, Santa Isabel, Baja, and south California...

It's an expanse of beautiful white sand and dunes as far as you can see east and west. It's blinding in the sunlight. The sand is as fine and white as salt.

[MikeW]

My word, [MENTION=21084]Virge[/MENTION] , that's like super serendipity of something.

Now, if it was me, all that would have happened just the reverse, such that … by the time I got back home, the whole town, including the new laundromat, would have gotten sucked up in a an F5 tornado during the grand opening. :redface:

Anyway, great story!!

[Virge]

I know what you mean Mike. Usually things for me are a matter of putting out fires and acting like I'm having fun doing it. That's what made the past few days so amazing... It's rare when things go so right you can call them perfect. When they go better than right, what do you call them? I just had to tell everyone sometimes crazy crap works out supertasticimaniously for the good.

[Hardheaded1]

I missed you all this past week. Now you're going to have to put up with me in one of the best moods of my life for awhile.

V

Not sure if you are an alien or just some serial killer, but put Virge back on, please.

No red font. Can't be Virge.

And I've been to Pensacola many times. The only thing nicer than the pure white sand is the Gulf seafood. Did you buy to re-sell or to have?

[Rareboy]

Well after the week I had and reading this I am going to go out and fall face first into a four foot snowbank and die.

Seriously.

glad you had such a great week. We've missed you.

[Virge]

Not sure if you are an alien or just some serial killer, but put Virge back on, please.

No red font. Can't be Virge.

And I've been to Pensacola many times. The only thing nicer than the pure white sand is the Gulf seafood. Did you buy to re-sell or to have?

All the seafood is in the freezers except for what's getting cooked tonight. Ray is going to cook whole crabs for him and Jay. I've already got my flounder ready to go in the oven. I got them to fillet it down there. I bought 2 pints of stuffed crab filling and spread one of then over one of the fillets and covered it with the other fillet.

I can't do whole crabs the way Ray and Jay do -- Cracking them open and slurping out guts is just too much for me.

Our Friend Nummy is coming for dinner. He's from Pensacola and I met friends of his who sent presents. At the bar when I asked if any of them knew Nummy it started a howling tell-all gossip session that lasted over an hour. We're going to have lots to talk about when he gets here. hahahahahaha!

[Rareboy]

^ I've never heard it called 'Put my flounder in the oven' before.

Pics please. We're perverted.

[Iceblink]

Your life is a banquet and you are so fortunate. A great man in your life, a business that lets you travel, a loyal employee, your good buddy, and businesses including a beautiful laundrette. I'm envious of your long road trip. I've been itching for one.