One Cent At A Time Baby

For the last few weeks I have used Wednesdays to shout out a Yakezie member in what I call Yakezie Wednesday. Not to be confused by Stormy Monday or thank God it's Friday. However, today I want to shout out one of the newest members that just got asked to join. Below is a true funny story that will forever remind me of their website's name. This is for you SB and SMB. Congratulations on becoming the newest made members of Yakezie. 

The year was 1994 but the smell predated the current period by 13 years. That's right. I was at the Italian street festival of Pompeii selling tourist tee shirts with my good friend and long time roommate JP. Back then it was a lucrative business but it was all about the hustle of your game that dictated where you were set up, who was going to protect you, and the amount of money you were taking home. Remember this was NYC 1994 where the murder rate was still higher than the cost of a Hyundai. Luckily for me I am one of those born and bread New Yorker guys that has a great gift of gab and everybody loves. That and it didn't hurt to give Vinnie Finarelli 1000 smackaronis under the table.

I was sandwiched in between the zeppole guy and a club DJ so I was either eating or dancing depending on which way I looked. As the day turned to night, Whodini & some of his freaks started showing up and began hovering around the music and food. This one older couple, who looked like they stepped out of the 70's still intoxicated, began dancing slowly and rhythmically off timing in front of my booth. The crowd stopped to watch because, aside from embarrassing, they were quite entertaining. People started clapping which only fueled their energy to re create some of the moves from yesteryear. She spun left then he dropped to the floor. He spun right then she slid towards him. Left-Right-Spin-Drop-Slide was their dance sequence until he got the impulse to rap it up.

The pumping club song was ending and the couple seemed to know it was time to hit the grand finale so he decided to do a final move. That's when he kicked over her head and tried to land in a split. However, he must have forgotten that he wasn't in the 70's anymore or maybe his girlfriend grew taller because he smacked her dead center in the face. As she fell to her final un-choreographed move, he sat in a semi split with his hands proudly in the air. The crowd gasped and applauded at the same time because neither of them broke character. Without blinking or looking down, he bowed and proudly accepted the applause. She slowly stood up, clearly dazed but with a smile, to take in the roaring crowd as well.

People were giving them money and they gladly accepted it. The zeppole guy gave them a bag of zeppoles and JP and I started looking for some change in our pockets. I mean let's be honest, Broadway costs $150.00 a ticket and I got to watch an intense dance performance filled with excitement, fear and laughter for free. The least I could do was tip them. So that is when I called him over. 

Jai
Hey buddy. Come here. Nice show. Here is a little something for you and your lady.

Dancer From the 70's
Thanks man glad you liked it.

Jai
Liked it. We loved it. Here is something for you guys. Sorry we can't give you more money but it's been a bit slow today.

Dancer From the 70's
No worries my brother. 
I am building my fortune 
one cent at a time baby. 
One cent at a time! 

I hope you liked my story SB and SMB. Please visit the newest personal finance blogging members of Yakezie and NOT the couple I met back in 1994 at One Cent At A Time.

Until Tomorrow,

Jai