Actually Coke wasn't talking about starting a business, he was talking about buying one. I've never really considered going that way, but have heard about people buying businesses without putting all kinds of money down. I just wouldn't throw a bunch of money down on something that you don't know is going to work.

When I was 16, I was doing landscaping work. A guy who was 25, Troy, had just moved down with his 3 kids and wife from Detroit. They had no money and were piggy-backing on his aunt and uncle coming down, staying in their house. He'd been a crack dealer/gang member in Detroit and moved to get him and his family away from that lifestyle. He had stories about being shot and having to keep driving to get away, how he had killed some guy and then a few days later was a pall bearer at the guy's funeral... Remember he came to me one day all aghast because some teenagers were in his neighborhood were following him around making fun of him. One of them even through mud at his car while he was driving by. He told me, "I know when I need to buy a gun, and I need to buy a gun!" He didn't understand at all the kids were just looking for something to do and being obnoxious was the best they could find... They weren't crack dealers protecting territory or shit like that.

Anyway, he hated his uncle. Thought the guy was completely crooked. The example he'd really rave about was his uncle buying business. Uncle owned a small funeral parlor up in Detroit. So, in his new town, he opened up the yellow pages and called every funeral parlor in the book, offering like $3K to buy the place. Everybody just ignored the guy. Except like the 20th person he called, who took him up on it. Troy felt like uncle called everyone in the damn book looking for someone that could be ripped off. But, it didn't sound like it was necessarily so bad to me. There was probably a lease he assumed that the previous owner wanted to get out from under. Maybe existing commitments to customers. Guy probably just wanted out and an extra $3K didn't sound like a dream, but fuck it. I'm gone.

I've heard a couple of other stories about buying businesses real cheap like that, but that's really the closest I've come to knowing the people.

Other ideas for Bishop that could be done on the weekend and keep his steady pay check. I know there are people who trade cars and make money. Had a roommate in college who bought a used car, drove it for a year, then sold it for more than he paid. They got those auctions for used cars, then park the car in a shopping center with a for sale sign. Having sold cars, you should have a good idea of what people will buy and some kind of idea of how a car works internally, so would know when a mechanic is full of shit. Although now is probably a good time to be buying cars, selling them's probably not a great idea and it's not like you could sit them in your yard and expect them to appreciate.

Then, a more unusual one. I know there are consultants who will teach people how to be more socialable and meet people. There was that guy on VH-1 who had that show "Pick-up Artist" who was making a living teaching people to meet girls even before he got that show. You've got the personality, but don't know about the teaching part of it. Plus in your red-headed neighbor thread, you were saying "They always pick you." Don't know that that's the right philosophy to teach guys who are all scheming to bang as many chicks as they can. But, if some guy could throw me a pitch making me think he could teach me something, I'd pay $50 for a night of that. $250 if the guy had past results that could show me he could teach me something I could use after he was gone. Then, you get a few guys with the money to tag along to the bar with you after you've taught them a few things... Just buy a couple of those books on the subject and see if you could develop a sellable syllabus for the guys.