There are lots of threads here about someone who got a ticket, or so-and-so whose car got squished in a parking lot, or another who had to pay income taxes, or whatever.

Yesterday I got a phone call from a client cancelling a show for which she had booked me; it was a housewarming party. She had already sent me the $350 cheque, and my policy is that the fee is non-refundable; she bought an option on my time and I am forced to decline any other requests for that same time.

The reason she cancelled the show is that she's cancelled the party. The reason she cancelled the party is that her husband was just diagnosed with lung cancer. On December 30, 2001 her father, who had just come to live with them in their new house, died.

I just met her husband two weeks ago; he's a great guy.

I'm mailing her a cheque for $350.

Count your blessings.

 

I picked up a new client yesterday -- a lady in her early 30s whose family has owned a construction business for 80 years, with big construction yards in Azusa and Fontana. Her father who owned and ran the business had a brain aneurysm in February, lived for eight days in a coma, and died. She inherited the business, which is an enormous mess -- 30 companies, 21 lawsuits, several bankruptcies, several federal tax cases, major environmental problems (enter The Raptor). I was supposed to meet her today at 2 PM in Azusa, do a site walk, and give her a proposal. She called a while ago and said "Don't come today. My brother, who has been clean for 15 years, relapsed on cocaine three weeks ago and has blown through over $50,000. He's coming here at 2 to meet his drug dealer. The rest of the family and the police are also coming.

 

Come on, you guys. Bill had some thing meaningful to share. So did I. Come on, STORIES'you limp dk MOFOS!!!!!