Thursday, September 13, 2012

HEY...up here please!

"Here lies the remains
of my last paperboy.
He died by torch
when two-days in a row,
he missed my porch."


Customer service is a curious thing.

For example, delivery of your daily newspaper.

You ask that it be tossed onto your porch. Not hidden in the yard somewhere.

Not in the bushes, wet with dew. Not in the shadows, hidden from view. ON THE PORCH.

It's a simple concept: the company prints the paper each day and I pay them to bring it to me to read.

We could all go down to the paper's office to pick one up but that would be be bad on morning traffic.

I buy the product. I send the money where they want it. Odd that I would be particular about where I wanted to take possession.

After weeks of GOOD on-the-porch service, for several days I started my day roaming the front yard, looking for what I had bought.

Maybe there was a change in carriers? Perhaps the new guy made a bad decision?
Injured his or her throwing arm?

I like to think my sign is helpful. A reminder.

(Click on the photos for more detail.)

My brothers and I all were newspaper carriers when we were growing up on the peninsula.

We knew we were selling a product and a service.

And, that was before the internet.

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Thursday, July 31, 2008

I Scream, You Scream ...

It's late July. Summer in Charleston.

It's a sizzling 93 degrees with matching high humidity. Sure could use some relief.

Happily, I was invited to Circa 1886 for a judging of new flavors of ice cream...with a Charleston touch.

Among the 200 entries one was named "Pluffmud" which says Holy City to me. But ... what would be the main ingredient?

Three judges sampled the three final concoctions: "Seersucker," Charleston Gold" and "Cobblestone Cobbler.". They were the (ice) cream of the crop.

None of the finalists had actually whipped up a batch of ice cream so Executive Chef Marc Collins decided which mixtures could be made up in the kitchen.

The winner was Kevin Kelly of Mt. Pleasant with his tasty "Seersucker" made by blending French vanilla, blueberries, pieces of Charleston Chew candy bar and boiled peanuts. Wow!



Actually, Chef Collins had substituted dry roasted peanuts but the winner was delicious and crunchy. It will be the featured dessert for August at the upscale restaurant tucked behind the Wentworth Mansion B&B.

I tasted all three contenders. Several times.

We bloggers want to be invited back to media events.

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