As the fiscal year was winding down, Carl realized that his sandwich shop might not break even for the first time since opening. He had even made a nominal profit his first year in business. A more health conscience public and a rough overall economy were his proverbial rock and a hard place.
He tried a marketing campaign on social media, but the coupons had an error and he ended up losing money every time someone redeemed one. He tried having an in-store even but his brother got so drunk he embarrassed himself and Carl. That event was deemed a disaster. He even tried taking the healthy approach to sandwich making but that, too, fell flat.
One slow afternoon, Carl was googling small business consultants when his ne’er-do-well friend form high school, Dustin, barged in.
“Hey man! How you doing? It’s been a while. Shop’s looking good. Got any water?” Dustin said in what seemed like one breath and with incredible speed.
“Hi, Dustin” Carl replied, “You can grab a water from the fridge”
Dustin paced around the empty tables in a curious manner to get to the beverages. “Thanks man. Hey, it’s lunchtime, why so empty?” he then drained the bottle of water and let out a loud “Ahhhhh”
Carl sighed, “Everyone’s on the low carb kick and if you take the bread away, what is a sandwich?” he asked rhetorically.
“Uhhh, a shitty salad?” Dustin earnestly answered, getting a chuckle from Carl.
“You’re a little extra fidgety today, what the hell you on this time?” Carl asked.
“A little bit of this, a little bit of that” Dustin smirked.
“You haven’t changed a bit” Carl laughed.
Dustin startled Carl when he exclaimed with all the animation he could muster “I can save your store and make some cash too!!!”
“Dustin, if it’s illegal I don’t…”
“Just hear me out!”
To be continued…..
By Ryan 