Chapter 136

During those months I rode around the town and out on the island with a sign on the trike. It alternately advertised The Pub and the Hot Dog Heaven and the Gift Shoppe. I loved it even in the cold. I would park the trike on the island and have coffee on the pier. It was just as good a billboard in the parking lot as moving up and down the streets.

The TV show I hated ran during those months so by the end of tourist season the Gift show was flooded. The Old Men were so popular they had to keep the fence around the factory locked to discourage tourists seeking a guided tour. Mel's however did a bang up business. Wilson was pretty much at home there. I expect he was as surprised as I was to find that he was a people person.

He really seemed to be enjoying the meeting and greeting people and explaining how the restaurant worked. The buffet was simple after I forced them to go back to it. All you could get onto the plate from the buffet was one trip. It was five bucks a head for adults two for children and senior size plates. A bowl of soup and a salad was included in the price.

You could also get a salad bar trip with a big bowl or a endless bowl of soup and hot dog buns instead of the traditional buffet. The hot dog buns came in three styles. A bakery dinner roll, a whole grain roll and a kind of mini submarine roll. Most people piled four or more dogs on the plate with rolls for each then went to the dip them. Making you own dog was most of the fun. Kids loved the place and I was happy. There were few if any restaurants on the island that catered to kids.

Everything was in its early stages of development when I got the first of many calls from the Senator I had worked for on a kidnapping. Just like the first time he found me though Martin.

"I have a little job for you," he said.

"Not interested," I said. "I don't mean to be rude, but I need to go ride my bike. The tourists are starting to come to town."

"I'll try someone else," he said.

"That's a very good idea," I said.

A couple of days later the big trust manager called me to set up a meeting. Since it was in Capitol city and I could fly up, I quickly agreed. I landed at a grass field and the trust manager send a car for me.

"So Sylvia how are you doing?" he asked, but he felt I was a bother obviously. He seemed in a hurry to get on with it.

"I'll fine and trust me I would just as soon be somewhere else as well. Why don't we just skip the pleasantries and get right to it."

"We need to know what you want to do with this years money drop from the state?" he asked.

"Hell I don't know. Have I burned through last years drop?" I asked.

"Hardly, you are probably the only lottery winner anyone here know of who hasn't. Most of them settle down after that first year but if you get any more settled, financially speaking, you will be dead. The money seems not to have grown but you only spend after interest about a quarter of a million dollars. But you have assets to show for almost all of it." he said thoughtfully.

"Is that a bad thing?" I asked.

"Not really, but what do you want to do with this money drop. The state wishes to renegotiate with you. Rita your lawyer asked that we contact her with the result of this meeting." he informed me. "She wanted to be here, but she has some personal problems."

"I'm sorry to hear that. So what does the state wish to do and how does it impact me?" I asked.

"Instead of one million each year they now want to pay you half a million each year for twenty years. They have agreed to pay interest on the money they now hold in trust for you," the manager said.

"What do my finances look like now?" I asked.

"You have a million which we are untrusted to us to manage. I would just add that it has grown at a rate equal to the rise in the stock market. You also have a liquid account which is managed by the local bank there in New Wales. That is for almost half a million dollars. Then there are the real estate assets. In other words you are in good shape and can easily afford to take the states offer."

"Why would I want to take it. What's in it for me?" I asked.

"The state bond rate right now is almost as good as the higher risk accounts you are in. The state bonds are what they propose to do with the with the whole ten million but make them redeemable over twenty years. It is to solve some accounting problem they have." he said.

"Look at it closely and have Rita look at it closely. The state tried to screw me once I don't want to have that happen again." I said. "Now why do you want to do this?"

"What do you mean," he asked.

"There is no management involved with the money, if it is in bonds," I suggested.

"Well there is not as much management for sure. But we still would manage the bond account, if you wished. Frankly Sylvia I don't think I would want to deal with you, if your trust account lost money." he replied.

"I don't really care as long as I have the money to do what I wish. Make sure the first half a million is in bonds that have a short maturity date," I said. Which was the same as saying if everyone signed off on it, I would as well.

I flew home and thought about it all. I decided the trust manager wanted to drop me as a client. I didn't make enough transactions on which they could take a cut. My money just sat there for the most part. Their main source of income wasn't managing money it was in the moving of money. I didn't sell off assets, so there were no fees being generated.