Submitted by: Bob Alexander
No one could have ever imagined that a love for cooking something over a barbeque grill would save his economic life, least of all Harley. His passion for the enticing aroma of barbeque smoke has lead to something that has kept a roof over his head and something to eat when the wolf was at the door.
Like many Americans Harley lost his job in the current recession. Up until that time cooking barbequed ribs, roasts and chickens was just a hobby he enjoyed. Then came the unemployment line and with it the realization that that small amount of money wouldn’t pay many bills.
With no jobs to be found he relying more and more on his barbeque catering service that had provided a small income while he was still employed. He had been making a few dollars here and there, but now it was time to get serious.
The first thing he did was phone some of his old customers, telling them he was available to cook barbeque on their premises for the Fourth of July, Memorial Day and Labor Day celebrations. He also would bring his mobile hickory smoking barbeque grill and set up in their back yards for wedding receptions, anniversaries and graduation festivities.
He booked a few gigs and had someone take pictures of himself and the party goers for his album, making sure that his grill was in the background with smoke drifting lazily out of the exhaust pipe. The grates of the grill were always filled with barbeque ribs, barbeque chickens and other meats that the patron might want cooked on the grill.
Harley’s picture book of his barbequing events looked so good that you could almost smell the aroma of hickory smoke and sizzling meat. By the time he placed a small classified ad in the local newspaper soliciting customers, both individuals and commercial businesses who wanted a company party to honor their employees, he already had a respectable business going at home.
A pleasant challenge arose when he realized that the month of June was booked so tightly with wedding receptions on both days of the weekend, he would have to work two parties on the same day. By June there was enough daylight hours pull off such a feat.
Harley and I lived in the same neighborhood. I have seen him traveling down the road after having left a party with his barbeque rig traveling along behind him, on the way to another celebration. It reminded me of a black Roman candle chasing a Jeep, about to launch from the sparks flying from the live coals in the fire box of the grill.
The point of all this is that Harley didn’t give up when his income stopped because of the recession. After the initial shock wore off he used what he had to make a small income, never dreaming it could become such a hit.
In each of us there is an enthusiasm for something, though most of us never bring that passion to financial fruition. Harley loved to barbeque and never thought that it would be his economic salvation.
In the midst of such difficult economic times, the lure of aromatic hickory barbeque came to the rescue. After all, what’s a wedding without barbecue sauce running down your arms and dripping from your elbows as you eat a delicious baby back rib that has just been removed from the grill.
About the Author: Bob Alexander is well experienced in outdoor cooking, fishing and leisure living. Bob is also the author and owner of this article. Visit his sites at:
redfishbob.com bluemarlinbob.comSource: isnare.com
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