Electrical problems and inconveniences at your business can be eliminated with a new outlet, new lighting fixture or an updated electrical panel.
I know an excellent electrician.

“I like to deal with honest people,” Pete says. “In fact, I’d rather deal with a rattlesnake if I knew it was a rattlesnake than to deal with somebody pretending to be something else but actually is a rattlesnake.” Then he tells me a story.

He and a man named Preston quibbled for weeks on the price of a prize-winning, 2,800-pound bull Pete had up for sale. Preston was known for driving a hard bargain, and the two were $16,000 apart in their negotiations. As previous deals with Preston had stretched beyond a two-week span, Pete became exasperated over the current back-and-forth conversations. So he proposed, “Look, Preston, we’re not going to haggle over this forever. Let’s flip a coin. Heads, we go with my price. Tails, we go with yours.”

The man replied, “Only if we can use my quarter.” Pete agreed, and Preston flipped his quarter.

“Shoot,” Preston spat. “You win, Pete. So, okay, I’ll pay you the extra sixteen thousand.” And so he did.

Pete grins as he adds the punchline to this tale: The coin-flipping conversation took place over the phone. Pete was in Texas while Preston was in Colorado.

By Jim Keen

Great Ranches of the West

The accordion will be honored with a day-long celebration with four stages at Orange County Fair and Event Center in Costa Mesa, CA.

The music will cover the spectrum with 40 bands from polka bands to an accordion orchestra and even a jazz ensemble. There will be workshops with people like 91-year-old Sam Constable, accordion repairman, and lessons throughout the day in accordion playing and various dances.

Here is a sample of the bands being presented: Lisa Haley and the Zydekats (Grammy nominated), Los Fabulocos with Kid Ramos, Fontenot Pappion Louisiana “Old Creole Style” Band, The Gee Rabe “Haberdashery” Chamber Jazz Ensemble, Martin Music Center Accordion Orchestra (which has performed at the White House three times), Jeffery Broussard, Roberto Rosa (Latin American Jazz), and From Russia With Love.

There will be a drawing for an accordion at 2:30 p.m. at the Main Squeeze Stage.

Orange County Accordion Festival, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Orange County Fairgrounds, 88 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa, CA 92626. Admission only $2 or donation of canned or packaged food, kids under 12 are free. More info: Website.