An Open Letter to a Certain Local Sports Coach

Dear Rick--

I can call you "Rick," can't I?  I hope so.  It's too late now to take that one back.

First off, let me congratulate you on the NCAA championship win for the University of Louisville.  After all these years, it must be nice to have a title under your belt here.  I'm sure that you and the boys will be celebrating for quite a while.  Your win will bring a lot of attention and benefits to the university and the city.

So many have followed you and the team and their ascent to the championship.  They stayed home diligently.  Watched the games.  Didn't go out before the games.  Even hours before the games when they could be doing other things because there was plenty of time to do them and still get home in time.

And that's why I'm writing.  As a small-time flea market vendor, I have to tell you that all the attention paid to the games hurt me and other small time entrepreneurs like me. You brought a lot of business traffic to a complete standstill on both Saturday and Monday, as people stayed in to prepare for the games, instead of hanging out in the flea markets and vintage stores like they normally do.  Things still haven't gotten back to normal, which is why I'm making a special appeal to you.

Those of us who make a little extra income from these sources have taken hits to the bottom line whose effect is hard to measure.  For micro-business entrepreneurs,  a hit like that can turn a whole month into a loss automatically.  We were already looking to get screwed over by the horses at the end of the month, but to get it from the birds in the beginning is an extra, and most unplanned, whammy.

Rick, for two stores, my combined sales on Monday were a whopping $1.48!  Seriously, man.  One freaking dollar and forty-eight freaking cents!  Are you kidding me?  I can find more than that in loose change in my couch cushions.  It's beyond sad.

I'm asking you to step up to the plate now for those of us you have so egregiously wounded. Put the word out.  Tell folks it's time to resume their normal, secondhand shopping routines.  We took the hit for you, man.  It's time to give a little back.  Get your followers back in the flea markets.  Please.

I mean, really, $1.48?  What the heck is that all about?

Love,

Me