ODB from the California office of Horizon Technologies is apparently my biggest fan. He's never had one of my hot dogs, but his east coast associate (and # 1 customer) Jeff has had many. ODB has taken to being the arbiter of what I should do with my business. He got on my case via email about closing the first two Fridays of the season due to (torrential sideways) rain.
When he saw I was taking a few days off next week to travel to FABULOUS LAS VEGAS with my wife and kids, he sent me this email:
HDM,
Off the 17th, 18th, 21st, and 22nd - WTF? I guess you roll part time or you married money n sh*t cuz no working man has a schedule like yours - you have more excuses as to why you aren’t there then a crack head in court.
Why don’t you post pictures of your dogs as we can never buy them cuz you are closed more then you are open – better yet, just tell us what days you are open and save the ink…..
ODB
The ODB just doesn't get it. He is like I once was. He sits on the phone all day trying to sell electronics. He does a pretty good job of it from what Jeff says. Probably makes decent money to boot. But at what price?
I got sick of worrying about quotas, sick of listening to some sales manager push and push, sick of the rat race. After all, even if you win the rat race, you're still a rat! So I bought a Hot Dog Truck. I answer to nobody. As long as I serve a good dog (and I do-ask around), I will be employed without condition.
Taking 4 days off WHEN I WANT TO is part of it. I am the boss. I make the rules. If you don't like it, tough.
So while ODB is sweating talk time, his quota and god knows whatever other petty little fires may flare up during his day, I'll be sitting poolside in Vegas thinking of what show I want to go to that night or whether I'll play Blackjack or craps.
I'll be thinking about the Hot Dog Truck too. Not because I'll dread going back to work, but because I'll be looking forward to it. It's the best job in the world, and I don't have a quota.
Thanks for the pictures too, ODB. Enjoy your cubicle.
ODB Just Don't get it
Too funny
So Jeff is telling me about this guy, ODB, in the California office. He's the guy that did the lame guest post yesterday.
Seems one day ODB was driving to work and he smelled something burning in his car (He's a smoker). He looked everywhere to find the source of the smell and couldn't find it. It really drove him nuts.
Well, he gets into the office and FINALLY locates the source of the smell:
See the burn hole on the right chest?
What were you smokin ODB?
Guest Post
The gang at Horizon Technologies gets a kick out of this site. The reason they do is because Jeff, one of the top salespeople in the company and a regular customer, goads them into looking at the site whenever I mention him. Jeff likes to tell me his tales of home improvements and his latest obsession is his riding lawnmower repairs and associated fall clean-up tasks. If you want to know everything about the mechanical deficiencies of Jeff's mower, come to the Hot Dog Truck at about 2PM any day and he'd be happy to tell you.
One of the corporate wonks out in the West Coast Home Office, a guy named "ODB" (short for Old Dirty Bastard) thinks he's got the goods on Jeff. He sent in this guest "post" as a goof on Jeff:
Dear All – I have decided to leave Horizon & pursue my
passion of owning my own business and working with grass.
Below you will find a picture of my new “Hot Dog Wagon”
I will mow your lawn & deliver you a hot dog for $ 19.99
plus tip n sh**….
Well now ODB, I guess you should leave the writing and the hot dog making to the professionals. Feel free to continue goofing on Jeff though.
FOOTBALL!!!!
My Patriots looked scary good last Sunday. They rolled over the Jets and made it look easy. Tom Brady, Wes Welker, Dante Stalworth and Randy Moss are going to be fun to watch this season. I don't see them having a tough time until they face Indy and they might smoke them too! The Pats are going to beat San Diego by a couple of touchdowns (or more) Sunday. Too bad Jared is flying all the way in to watch his team get croaked!
Football season also provides the opportunity to line my pockets with the profits from "educated sporting investments." I have always done well wagering on football and I hope this season is no exception. I have, as you may know, started a new site with LAZ called Winning Football Picks where we'll share our picks, predictions and "investment strategies" all season long. Week One's games (Thursday, Sunday & Monday Night) saw a record of 8 wins, 3 losses and 2 pushes for a total of plus 4.6 "units" (thats $4600 for a "dime player"). Not a bad start to the season, eh?
If you like money, check out Winning Football Picks and "play along."
Jared, do yourself a favor and take the Pats, you can pay for your trip!
California Doggin'
After I instructed Jeff not to be so gay while posing for pictures, he managed to peel himself away from Jared for another picture.
Kinda looks like Hot Dog Truck version of the "before" and "after" picture of Subway's famous Jared!
Once Jared and Jeff retreat to the beautiful garden patio dining area, Hans shows up!
No, not that Hans....
Here's Hans joining the happy Horizon crew in the dining room. The rest of you Horizon Technology folks ought to stop by the Hot Dog Truck for a truly visceral dining experience!
Hans showed up in a SWEET Mustang.
So much for German engineering!
Jeff Redeemed
Jeff from Horizon Technology has been taking some abuse at work and its all my fault. I had promised to put his photo on the site and he bragged to everyone at work that he was going to be a celebrity.
Kevin (from yesterday's post) and I colluded to keep Jeff's photo OFF the site to see how many times he'd ask about it in a week (he asked three times) and to see how much heckling he would take from the guys in the California office (they have nothing better to do than read the Hot Dog Truck and keep Jeff from working).
So the goof was complete yesterday when I published Kevin's photo BEFORE Jeff's. A good laugh was had by all.
So without further ado, here is Jeff eating a hot dog:
After seeing that picture, maybe I was providing a public service by NOT publishing it!
For All the Folks at Horizon Technologies
OK SO I SCREWED UP THE COMPANY NAME, so sue me.... Apparently the company name is Horizon Technology, not Horizon Technologies. If Jeff didn't talk with his mouth full, I'd have gotten it right. I just hope Jeff annunciates better when he's making his sales calls.......
There's this guy, Jeff, who comes by the Hot Dog Truck 3-4 times a week (hey, he knows where to get the best lunch in town!) I must say he's a trooper-out in rain, snow, wind, cold and sunny days (like today). He works at Horizon Technology in Framingham, right around the corner from the Hot Dog Truck. He gets two "All Around" as a rule, though one time he had the Sausage when I had run out of Hot dogs! 
While he does like the food, he mostly comes by to get away from his slave driving sales manager and the relentless, productivity killing and harrassing phone calls from the boys in the home office out in Lake Forest. It seems the Hot Dog Truck has become a bit of a company cult classic as Jeff constantly raves about the delectable dogs he so frequently snarfs down. While I haven't seen Hans yet, 
I hope to meet more of the gang at Horizon and hip them to the joys of the best damn hot dogs on the planet! For all you guys at the Home Office, enjoy the pics of Jeff's thrilling, favorite lunchtime spot!
Can you beat this price? I DON'T THINK SO!
