Back when Real Estate was in its infancy, it was so much more fun than it is today! This was before lockboxes, cell phones, computers, and huge mortgage conglomerates on every corner. Applying for a loan meant sitting in front of a Mortgage Banker and answering questions about your ability to repay the loan.
Of course, many large RE companies were involved in the building trade and other activities. Some were nicer and more honest than others, but they all survived.
At one of the MLS meetings at a local restaurant, I helped one of the biggest do the right thing by catching him picking up ALL of the cash tips the realtors left for their servers. I walked up to him, standing there with no remorse, holding a fistful of dollar bills. He said, “I was just going to take this to the server so it wouldn’t get stolen.” I said, “I will just walk with you; it is so good of you to protect the servers from theft, as you know, they work really hard for their tips!”
Other realtors had seen him split the tip money between the waitresses and himself, and we’d figured out his game. What could he do to me? He wasn’t my broker, so he couldn’t fire me.
We were thrilled with our pagers! We had so much fun playing with them. They delivered a rather loud voice message, and it was hysterical and sometimes embarrassing, like the message one my good friend Karen sent when I was writing a contract that went something like this: “Brenda, Harbor Freight called, and your Black & Decker Vibrator has arrived.”
Every year, the Title Companies held an Open House for Realtors with drinks and snacks, which we all enjoyed. Some more than they should. Mikey thought it would be hilarious to hide all the phones. The little darlin’ unplugged them all and hid them. On Monday morning, when they were ringing and no one could answer them, to say the Title Company employees were angry would be an understatement! Mikey thought it was hilarious until he realized the Title Company was the one that closed his deals and issued the commission checks!
My good friend, Denny, the fastest lock picker in our office, came in handy when the seller left the door locked during our MLS tour. The person in charge had keys to all the vacant homes but forgot this one. My friend had left the house locked. We arrived at a locked door, with a dozen or more realtors waiting outside. Denny said, “No problem, and got down on his knees and proceeded to pick the lock. Just as the owner opened the door, he was standing with a towel around him, fresh out of the shower, which is why he didn’t answer our knocks. Denny just looked up and said, “Hello, we are here for your MLS tour.”
That same Denny helped me study for my Broker’s License, and I passed the first time. He let me borrow his tapes with questions and answers to study while I drove from Washington to Oregon to get the seller’s signature on closing papers. In those days, anything was possible.
At one of the parties that the MLS threw for all the Realtors at Christmas time, Denny and Skip really thought I would let them talk me into going outside to see the swimming pool bathed in the moonlight. “Guys, I haven’t had enough to drink to trust you two!” The party gave us tickets for drinks, and my hubby never drank, so guess who used the tickets?
It was funny that even though Shirl never drank, friends would remark, “Boy, your husband sure had a good time at the party.” He would be the one with a lampshade on his head for a laugh. For our 65 years together, it has been fun; he makes me laugh!
Just wanted to remind you of one of my favorite books. My daughter asked me, “Mom, why don’t you write a story about my imaginary playmates I had as a child?” I said, “Okay, what are they, and what are their names?” She answered, “I only remember their names: Ning, Dog, and Boss!”
That is how and why the series called Sleep Travelers, “The story of Ning, Dog, and Boss,” was born. This had been a labor of Love. I created the books to help parents spend time reading to their kids and give them the gift of loving to read. I used dialogue between the animals and the kids to show the fun of learning how the animals lived and to allow the animals to leave their cages and join the kids on their adventures.
It is available in eBook and Paperback at your favorite online bookstore.
Also on my website http://www.brendacolbathbooks.com
Zookeeper Mr. Shirl, who looks like Little Dawnie’s daddy, takes the friends on a tour of the Zoo, showing them how to play the games and the fun rides, and introducing them to the Tigers, Lions, and Bears. Oh My!
Dog explains to Ning and Boss that they are, in fact, at home, sound asleep! They are Sleep Travelers! They cannot be hurt on their adventures, and if they are afraid of anything or are in danger, they will wake up in their own beds.
Imagine riding Orchid, the Orca whale, and having no problem breathing underwater!
Or riding Ella the elephant’s back or meeting Harold the hippo!
Want to meet the Lion Tamer and his Tigers and ride on their backs?
Our adventurers talk to the animals, and the animals talk back!
Tigger tells them about when the mean little kid climbed into his cage for a ride on his back, and Tigger was shot by the Ranger and slept for a whole day! The Sleep Travelers agreed that the kid should have been shot!
Mr. Shirl cooks burgers, fries, and hot dogs for all the Sleep Travelers, including the animals, and everyone had fun making a big mess with a food fight. But no need to worry, because all they had to do was “Think clean,” and it was all cleaned up!