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Professional Fees...

Last year I had the dubious distinction of receiving a letter from a well known Attorney in Jamestown, NY. and an equally well known Dentist in North East, PA. Upon opening the containing envelopes, I was dismayed to see that they were both enclosing... bills! There is really nothing worse than to receive an 'unexpected' bill in the mail. It took me a while to recall, but my attorney fee was for $100, which was for a phone call to his secretary. The dental visit was for the two and a half hours that I anxiously spent in his chair awaiting his decision on a problematic tooth.

This is the kicker. In both cases, I did not receive any services. The attorney situation was handled in one minute, by his secretary looking up some records, while I waited on the telephone. The Dentist kept popping in to tell me that he was very busy with a 'problem patient' in the next room, and finally came in to tell me that he didn't have the time to see me that day.

Now, if I spend time with a customer in the store here at 'Dry Gulch' (which I often do), and that customer talks my ear off for an hour, but departs without making a purchase; am I ethically permitted to send them an invoice for the time factor of: "Professional Fees"?

As John Stossel would say on the Fox News... "Give me a break"!

The Three Worst... You don't want to be a member of this exclusive club!

The three worst groups ever to attend a Dry Gulch Field Trip, are oddly enough those that are associated with a high degree of business and community acumen:

Previously, I've written about the PA. United Way Teacher whom I caught screaming at the children, and subsequently bullying them into a hasty departure, long before games and prizes were ever awarded... simply because she couldn't handle a 3yr. old who was in tears. Obviously the wrong profession for this day care teacher! Her United Way superiors refused to comment.

Running a tie for aberrant behavior is a group of young counselor's from a PA., Warren County YMCA.
They conspired to concoct a story regarding their harsh treatment while at Dry Gulch. They demonstrated a huge lack of interest in the children, and the gem mining activities, and like the United Way Teacher, they were ill-prepared to do the very job that they were hired to do. (i.e. Assisting the children in fun summer activities) The YMCA Supervisors never responded to the numerous letters which were sent from 'other' supporting organizations of Dry Gulch Field Trips.

The third (but certainly not the least) is also a PA. city YMCA. This exceptionally large group left the entire Gem Mine in shambles! Trash was dumped in the children's water trough. Equipment and coolers were left behind. Flower beds on private property were trampled. A major display was torn apart... and the list goes on and on. Once again the supervisors were contacted, but nothing was ever done.

... A major disgrace, that the leaders of these institutions have tainted their precepts of operation and service to their respective communities by disregarding the proper decorum of addressing these situations. Instead, opting for the old adage of turning a deaf ear!

Leave your ego's behind...

It's a shame that even the school field trips can be handled so disastrous by the teachers and chaperon's who plan them. Such was recently the case! It was a living cliche'. Power happy people: from the school bus driver who wanted to run the show, to the chaperon mom, who could only walk around and boast of her masters degree. Even two of the teachers made it quite clear that walking along the wooded trails was hardly their 'cup of tea'.

Please folks... a gentle reminder, this is the time for the kids. THEY are the stars of the show! Leave your fragile egos behind at the school. Sheriff Bill could care less about your masters degree, or the fact that you would much rather be out on the golf course. It's only two short hours out of your seemingly important lives.
At Dry Gulch... the KIDS rule!

Silver Lining...

Such a shame when a school field trip comes to Dry Gulch and the teachers only want to sit in the shade... not a very good show of enthusiasm for the children to observe. But, every cloud has a silver lining (as they say). This time it was a single male chaperon, who walked the trails the entire event, and even went and picked up tools and papers afterwords. The five females (some were teachers) barely lifted a finger, and only two even said thank you at the close of the event. It was the gentleman, who again put them to shame. He both thanked me and added what a wonderful experience his daughter had. He remarked: " This mining experience gets the kids away from the computer games and provides both a reward of keeping the gems along with a lasting learning experience". By the way... 'All' the kids were a great bunch! They repeatedly thanked me and said they were anxious to come back.

Bees...

Usually it's the kids that get into mischief here in the Dry Gulch Gem Mine. But, this is the strangest of all twists.

There was a medium sized group of kids and moms here for their very first excursion into Dry Gulch. I gave the same orientation (as usual) regarding rules, finding the gems, and not to destroy anything along the trails. I turned them loose, and proceeded to casually walk around, answering questions and assisting the tiny children.
I was walking down the long main trail when I noticed a mom stooped low to the ground. She was poking a long stick through the fence located at the miniature train set. I stood unnoticed, and observed as she desperately (if not methodically) tried to knock some of the miniature town figures into the small water pond. I could hardly believe my eyes! I walked up to her and inquired as to why she was poking the town's characters with a stick. She quickly stood up, dropped the stick. She became very befuddled (kid caught with hand in cookie jar), and stated: "I saw a bee in there and I was trying to poke it".

Like John Stossel says: "GIVE ME A BREAK"

The Creme Doesn't Always Rise To The Top... But The Sludge Sure Does!

Just about everyone remembers the purchase of their first car. I sure do! It was a warm summer evening when my dear old father took me to 24th and State Street (in Erie) to go car shopping. Of course, in those days, it was always used car shopping. A decent used car went for around $500. Even at that amount a loan was required along with parental co-signers, and your first born as collateral. The owner of the car lot and his 'shark' reputation, came a stumbling out of his tiny shack (office) to put the squeeze on. He was a typical 50's greaser with dark slicked hair... a duck tail in the back and an Elvis wave in the front. The cars that he sold were always previously owned by a sweet little old lady, whom he knew personally!

I got sucked in and bought the car, but that's not the story. You see, this guy went on to become the biggest 'New Car Dealer' in Erie, (now residing in Florida and sometimes in Erie). He gained political clout as his dealerships increased. He purchased a small plane, learned to fly, (not to well according to his runway accident report), and even had sports events named in his honor. He was able to frequent the company of the Erie Mayor, and County Executive. And still today, he is held in the highest esteem of the elite upper crust social circles.

If you have never read the "Peters Principle", do yourself a favor. It depicts guys like this... rising to the heights of their own inabilities. He (unfortunately) has been cloned into all areas of Politics, Large and Small Business, Entertainment, and even Tel-evangelical Religion.

Tis the sludge that always rises to the top these day, and no longer the creme!