It's Wednesday. I'm all alone on Hilton Head. Well, a few millionaires are running around, and the rest of us servants. I walked by a realtor's office today and looked at the homes for sale, pasted upon the window. Nice homes, and I kid you not, over half of them were a million dollars or more. My question- what kind of person, seeking to sell a home for that much money, pastes a picture upon a window with a phone number? I could see doing that for a Chevy.

The place where I am staying is great. Some friends own a time-share, and asked me the last minute if I would like to use it. Since I had a week of vacation I was about to lose, and since the local temps were in the mid 30's, my answer was yes. The place offers every amenity imagineable- lake in the backyard for fish and gators, jacuzzi, all kinds of luxuries I could only think about otherwise. Everything, but wifi internet! So I now sit in the parking lot of the local Piggly Wiggly, availing myself of their generously free Pig Hot-Spot. I think it is nice of them, and may even go inside to buy some chitlins, picked pigs feet, or the like.

I went to a Time-Share Presentation yesterday. A nice lady called me on the phone and asked if I would like $90 for an hour of my time. I was thinking that usually the guys make that kind of offer, and that it is illegal and sinful. Then she explained it was a friendly and fun presentation with no pressure. I said sure. Well, it was more like a 3 hour presentation, with lots of pressure, although the guy did smile a lot and I hated to disappoint him. It left me with a bad feeling, because the fellow did work awfully hard. I told him I seldom buy anything without thinking and praying about it. And he told me, I kid you not, that he thought God would want me to buy a Time-Share! I replied that, Gosh, I was thinking that He who had no place to lay his head wasn't too much into luxury condominiums. After some more salesmanship, including an encounter with yet another salesman, I received my $90 check. Here's the deal as I understood it: Membership would cost about $60,000, payable with about $10,000 down and $1,000 per month for 60 months, at 18% interest. Then I would own 2-4 weeks of vacation per year, selectable from various vacation places, including Hilton Head. Of course, I would have to pay booking fees, $900 per year maintenance fees, and other incidentals. It's called a "property investment", but I don't think timeshares are easy to resell. I'm not real smart about investing, but I think I could take the money, purchase some awfully nice vacations for my family for the next 30 years, pass along an annual Christmas bonus to all my blogging friends, and still come out ahead.

In defense of my friends who so generously have shared their place with me, they have been in a Time-Share for over 20 years, and love it. But I think theirs is of a much different nature than what was presented to me by my friendly huckster.

I do have an interesting photograph of the beach to share with you. Hopefully tonight I can download it onto this Timex Sinclair and pass it along. It's a great week!

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posted by: auntconi (reply)
post date: 01.23.08 (3:03 pm)

Enjoy your time while you are there.
I am sure it should be very nice.
Glad you are getting to use your earned vacation
time and away from 'the home stretch' so you can
really relax. Again, enjoy!

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posted by: mimi (reply)
post date: 01.23.08 (4:20 pm)

Just have a good time! Don't try to figure it out, cuz there is not any rhyme or reason? Have fun! xoxox

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posted by: spook102956 (reply)
post date: 01.23.08 (6:53 pm)

Have fun! Piggly Wiggly? We haven't had that particular chain of grocery store around here in years. I didn't know they still existed.

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posted by: PastorDave (reply)
post date: 01.23.08 (7:46 pm)

Reply to: spook102956
Yes, they exist. I just bought a gallon of Blue Bell Ice Cream, butter pecan, with the intention of eating it all tonight.

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posted by: PastorDave (reply)
post date: 01.23.08 (7:52 pm)

Reply to: mimi
You know, there is a lot of injustice in this world. So many people have so much money. And I am not convinced they are any better, or work any harder, or ultimately deserve luxury and ease and comfort any more than the next guy. I appreciate someone with money who realizes his state in life is simply because he is blessed. Or, if he is not inclined to look at life through spiritual eyes, then he is lucky. As I hang around here for the week, I am struck with how much affluence people have. I know, just driving around in my Chevy Aveo makes the cops pause to notice. I'm going to make sure to drive the speed limit, and maybe they will just think I am another one of the servants.

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posted by: PastorDave (reply)
post date: 01.23.08 (7:54 pm)

Reply to: auntconi
Very nice! Tomorrow I intend to take a boat ride to Daifusco Island. It has no roads. It is a settlement, still populated mostly by the descendants of slaves from the Old South plantations. Should be interesting.

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posted by: auntconi (reply)
post date: 01.23.08 (9:03 pm)

Reply to: PastorDave

Yes that should be interesting ~ don't think I've heard of that name, but there is a lot I do not know about ~ believe me!

I see Blue Bell ice cream found you ~ cool!
I enjoyed Blue Bell when I would winter in Alabama. Good stuff! Of course my favorite is French Vanilla, but I'd share some Butter Pecan ~ but I see by your note, you intend on consuming it ALL !!!
Really can't say that I blame you. :)

We don't get Blue Bell here in Michigan ~ so enjoy a little bite for me, please??? ~ pretty please?
I thought so! You're one of the good guys!
Let me know if I would have liked it, m'kay?

Too bad you have to go to the Piggly Wiggly parking lot ~ isn't there any wifi in the lobby of the hotel? One time when I was staying at a hotel in the U.P. they didn't have wifi in the room, but did have it in the lobby, and in the lounge where they served lunch, breakfast, etc.
Oh, that's right, you are not in a hotel. Do they have a central meeting place? Or something like that?

Anyway, for what it's worth ... enjoy your time.

See you later!

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posted by: surrogate (reply)
post date: 01.24.08 (5:33 am)

Didn't see this yesterday... Surprised you even posted while on vacation, but I'm sure glad to see you here.

Don't get used to it there though, otherwise you'll have to cook up some big internet scam to pay for it.

(If, in the end, you decide it's a must? Um... cut me in.)

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posted by: OldSchool (reply)
post date: 01.24.08 (6:56 am)

Enjoy your time off.

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