Dad, How Are The Shoe Store's Doing? Mom said, " I Swear I Didn't Say A Thing To Him " !!!

A few years back I started a shoe business with my Dad. It began in a flea market and became a 2 store operation in a very short time. I went through a divorce and decided to let Dad and the partner we had, buy my share out. I wanted to get out of town. Now this story has 2 parts to it and not all have to do with the business.

The first part: I ended up moving to a town that was 800 miles away. When I first moved there, I had no job, but I had merchandise to sell. I found a gentleman in another town about 70 miles away, that wanted to open a store, and he decided to take some of the shoes and clothing items I had to get a feel for it first. It was discussed that if he decided to open a store he would pay me as a consultant and buy more merchandise through me and my Dad. This man had an auto repair shop and wanted something for his wife to do, so he said. Something did not feel right, but I kept an open mind. One night, I was invited to dinner at his apartment house. It was a nice meal, I should mention this man was Jamaican, as was his wife and all the others there for dinner, too. I was the only white face. No problem. They were all having a good time hanging with me. Spirits were flowing and other party favors were in effect, but something just didn't feel right. I started to get this anxious feeling. I went to the bathroom and happened to see some transactions happening that I really wanted to distance myself from, pronto. So, I slipped back into the front room and told the wife that I had an early day the next day. That I would contact her husband soon. The uneasy feeling I had was confirmed, they were all raided that night by DEA , ATF, ICE and FBI. An hour after I left. It seems that they had an illegal gun running operation and smuggling of stuff not to be mentioned, and the Auto shop and other businesses he had, (possible shoe store) were all fronts and being used for money laundering. Oh and some were here in the country illegally. Needless to say, I never ventured that way again. I stayed in the town I was commuting from and started to try and find work there. It was a resort town right on the beach, so it was clear to me, I would need to try something else besides retail. I had no place to live yet, and was staying in my van, thank goodness I had a van at least, and decided to get something to eat one Saturday at a place with an all you could eat catfish deal. I was sitting at a table and heard a familiar voice a few booths over, wow, it was one of my best childhood friends I had not seen in over 10 years. I looked at him and did a double take, he was in the Navy, although not in uniform at the time, the last time I had seen him he was heading to Annapolis for officer's school, and was sitting with one of his roommates. I said excuse me but you remind me of someone I grew up with, he knew who I was and said my name. I was so amazed to run into him right then at that time in my life when I needed a friendly face. I had to go to this place at this time in order for me to run in to him. Of all the "gin joints" right? I told him what had been going on and him and his roommate insisted I eat with them and come stay at their place until I got settled in the area. It was truly a miracle. I was running low on funds. 2 weeks later I asked my buddy to lend me a $20 so I could go to the dog track and try my luck, I had a feeling. I usually just play numbers I have in my head, I hit a straight trifecta that night for $980. The next day paid my buddy back and went to a job interview where I was hired to work maintenance for the season. The lady who hired me, also, had a place for me to rent that I could afford, because I had just won at the dog track. At the end of the season, I was offered a full time position to stay, but that was after being told 2 weeks prior that they could not keep me on. Seems that some of the affluent owners really liked me though and wanted me to stay. I had decided I was going to go back and try to work at the business I had started. Dad, said he would rather I didn't and to come live with them, they had moved 2000 miles away from the town I grew up in for Dad to be president of another corporation, the partner was running things at our business and Dad didn't want any problems. Off I went to my new home way north.

Part 2:

I began to look for work immediately, Dad was going to put me in his warehouse to learn the ropes, but there were some politics at his job involving the owners and their kids. He was going to send me across the ocean to facilitate the make lines, but I did not want to travel and live overseas. I started real estate school and completed the course then took my license exam and passed. I was then hired at a prestigious firm to start a Commercial division after my training for 6 weeks. The lady that hired me really like me and was impressed I had passed the license test on the first try with such a high score. Even though I had no formal experience she was willing to train me and let me be in charge of starting her commercial division, she didn't want a know it all and wanted to start slow. I was her guy and I was so proud of myself and my parents were, too. So much so, that they insisted on me getting a nice sedan to replace my van and we set up a time to meet my Dad after his work one night at a restaurant near some dealerships. Now, not one time in the 9 months I had been living with them had I brought up any conversation about our business down south, I had put it behind me and was focused on real estate now. We sat down in the booth to eat and Dad was sitting across from me, Mom next to me, and point blank I asked Dad, what's going on with the shoe store's? I have this feeling something is not right. He looked at my mother and she swore she didn't say a thing to me. Seems he had told her not to tell me, that his, so called, partner decided he was resigning effective that coming July 4th weekend. He was just going to close the doors and walk away and leave my Dad to deal with it 2000 miles away. Well, i did not get a new car that night. Instead, I told them forget it, there was no way I was going to sit back and let Dad deal with something I started. He said he did not want me to stop what I was doing, but this would not sit right with me. Even, just temporarily, I was going to at least help him liquidate the stores, real estate could wait, they would understand and if they didn't tough I was going no matter what, my mind was made up. That night, when everyone was asleep I started packing my van. I was ready to leave when the woke up. He gave me money and a credit card and off I went. The rest is another story to tell.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you enjoyed to post. Much love to all.

Ascension211

OK, I'm interested thus far. Bedtime for me now, but I'll check back tomorrow....

I am not trying to be rude, and I felt like your story was leading up to something good, but I feel I'm missing the point. Kind of the way I felt after watching Lost in Translation for the first time, which I did enjoy. So, it's just sort of is-what-it-is and we're done?

Some synchronism going on in this story! Held my interest until you said the rest is for another story... please do let us know when you post it. You stopped without warning, leaving us hanging.

Synchronicity and intuition. Maybe I should've placed this in short stories. Sorry, if I left you hanging. The rest of the story does not really have anything to add to the intuition/psychic part. That is why I stopped where I did. I was merely trying to demonstrate certain behavior on my part with regard to intuition in these circumstances. Which to me fell under the heading of paranormal. I personally feel that we all have this ability and are often told certain things by our higher power, but we have to be willing to listen and pay attention. I will demonstrate that in another story.

Originally posted by ascension211
Synchronicity and intuition. Maybe I should've placed this in short stories. Sorry, if I left you hanging. The rest of the story does not really have anything to add to the intuition/psychic part. That is why I stopped where I did. I was merely trying to demonstrate certain behavior on my part with regard to intuition in these circumstances. Which to me fell under the heading of paranormal. I personally feel that we all have this ability and are often told certain things by our higher power, but we have to be willing to listen and pay attention. I will demonstrate that in another story.

Well, you achieved your goal for those two points.
I think it goes well in the paranormal forum.

reply to post by sled735


The mod didn't agree, moved it to the grey area! No worries. Hey check out my new back ground photo!! Also. Learned how to post pictures in my post now, it has been a very good day!!




I am so psyched!!!

Originally posted by ascension211
reply to post by sled735

 

The mod didn't agree, moved it to the grey area! No worries. Hey check out my new back ground photo!! Also. Learned how to post pictures in my post now, it has been a very good day!!

I am so psyched!!!

That's beautiful!
It took me awhile to learn how to post pictures, but I finally got it. Posting videos was easier to learn. ATS is just different!
Gotta get busy on some housework now. Have a good day.

reply to post by ascension211


You need to add more paragraphs To separate ideas better.

The story is somewhat captivating but lacks direction and purpose the few lines at the top and the end would serve most of the purpose of what you are really conveying. There is no clarification being provided about "your" character besides that you would not engage in openly criminal acts...

There is no depth in regards to why you left the shoe store project initial, except the vague statement about a divorce. That leaves a bad after taste in the end when it seems "you" reevaluate your priorities. Since I do not know if this is a real story or creative writing I will not comment further, I'll just state that as presented the final solution and motives that are directly state to support it does not seem fully credible (especially since you paint the influential situation in darker tones a few lines before). If this is a understandable lack of self-realization for "your" it should be stated in a way that makes that point clearer (that altruism is not necessarily the primary motivator)...

reply to post by Panic2k11



Thank you for your input. It was late and a long day! Wanted to get it out of my brain! I will certainly take your advice on structure to heart. Take care.

reply to post by Panic2k11


I was vague on purpose, because it wasn't germane to what I was trying to convey. Those details about why I left.

reply to post by ascension211


You sound like my sister!

I liked the story, was disappointed it ended. Oh well. On another note, you'll learn all kinds of fun things about posting, your profile etc. I remember being a lurker off and on for years before I joined. I would read through threads, page by page....every one of them. Some great reading by the way, and some LOOOOOONG nights! It was months before I figured out that I could go to the end or the beginning of a thread by clicking on the double "less than" or "greater than" symbols.

reply to post by Gridrebel


Thanks. Sorry to disappoint, but I will complete that someday soon. In the grey area, under the heading Shoe Store, Continued! Much love!

Ascension211

reply to post by ascension211


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