You can’t have today’s services at yesterday’s prices
MIDDLEBURGH — It does feel more normal to be writing the OMOTM column on Tuesday rather than Friday afternoon. What a gorgeous Tuesday morning, after some valley fog burned off, crisp, blue sky and just about peak color. Now we see some tour buses full of people coming to see the beautiful part of the country we live in.
Now, if we could just get them to come back after one of our two foot nor’easter snowstorms and help dig us out. Probably not going to happen.
Some attrition is starting to take its toll on our attendance. I usually ride with three other OFs in the car with me; Tuesday, I was all by myself. I’ll get one of those riders back in a couple of weeks as he is on vacation now.
The 30 or so OMOTM who gathered at Mrs K’s Kitchen in Middleburgh wanted to know why the OMOTM column was so late. They had only received the email with the column on Sunday. There are a few OFs who don’t have a computer and so were blissfully unaware of all the trials and tribulations of being hacked again and the chain reaction of events that causes.
Part of that discussion led to the bill I was going to get for having my laptop rescued from “lock up.” Usually that situation means that the hacker people want money to unlock your computer and I’m not so sure they ever really do unlock it.
Getting bills for services rendered is not a new thing; sometimes we are somewhat surprised at the amount of the bill. An OF at the table had some dental work done the other day. It was not a big deal involving surgery or anything, and it didn’t take too long. He got the invoice and took a somewhat deeper breath and paid the bill.
Now don’t get me wrong or write letters to the editor. I was in business for my whole working career. Think of the length of time in college a young student has spent learning to become a dentist and be able to put “DDS” after his or her name.
The OMOTM can remember the old-fashioned drills they used before the high-speed drills of today were invented. They cost today’s dentists money they don’t have when just starting out after those years in college.
How about all those tools they use to do the work on our teeth? More money.
How about that special chair we sit in? And the lights, computers, X-rays, office personnel, dental assistant, office rental, payroll, insurance, and on and on. It all adds up. Somebody has to pay those bills.
I am not suggesting that his dentist is worried about his next meal or car payment. It is expensive to be in business. That's why we have insurance. At least some of us have insurance.
As OMOTM, not all of us have adequate dental insurance, and that puts that dental bill in a whole different light. A topic for a different writer writing a whole different kind of article.
I am just trying to make the point: There are usually reasons for the way things are; the OMOTM know that. We have been there and we have done that. We do have to remember that you can’t have today’s services at yesterday’s prices.
Special guest
We did have a special guest join us for breakfast who knows all too well about deadlines missed or being late. (Just how many times can that dog eat your homework/column?)
Our guest was none other than Jim Gardner, past owner for many years and publisher emeritus of The Altamont Enterprise.Why was he here?
Was he sent to check up on me? Is he going to report me? What did I do wrong? Why am I sweating and stammering? I was only three days late with my column last week (and still got it in before my deadline).
After being introduced to Mr. James E. Gardner, I found him to be a nice guy who clearly was enjoying his breakfast with good friends, and was not coming after me. Relieved, my appetite returned and I went back to my seat and enjoyed my breakfast as well.
Heat resistant
As we all know, the OMOTM have a competitive streak a mile wide in them, so it should be to no one’s surprise that the latest contest is to see which OF will last the longest against Mother Nature and her relentless annual attack on warmth.
Needless to say, long pants, flannel shirts, maybe even a wool sock or two are kind of normal attire for at least the start of the day. I went around the tables and asked who had turned on their heating system yet. No one! All 30 members present, not one had succumbed to the chilly mornings of Mother Nature.
Stay tuned; I know how this is going to end. It will end approximately 30 seconds after Mrs. OMOTM says she is cold, and Mr. OMOTM will be so happy to turn the heat on, secure in the knowledge that, although he lost again to Mother Nature, he once again out lasted Mrs. OMOTM by the 30 seconds or so it took him to cross the room and turn on the heat.
It doesn't take much to make an OF happy, heat and warmth is one of those things (and a warm and happy Mrs. OMOTM is another one of those things).
After a nice hot breakfast, the OMOTM who departed Mrs K’s were; Harold Guest, Wally Guest, Ed Goff, Roger Shafer, Wm Lichliter, Pete Whitbeck, Mark Traver, Joe Rack, Ken Parks, Jake Lederman, Ted Feurer, Wayne Gaul, Michael Kruzinski, George Wasburn, Frank Dees, Jim Gardner, Russ Pokorny, Warren Willsey, Jake Herzog, Lou Schenck, Gerry Cross, Duncan Bellinger, Jack Norray, Herb Bahrmann, Bob Donnelly, Alan Defazio, Paul Guiton, John Dab, and me.