Super Bowl Bet Payback

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It seems like a big, bad blur back on that fateful Sunday night. Cory and Sam had made their annual Super Bowl bet. We almost won (as we have in the past 2 years....why would this be any different?) until that famous play of our team throwing the football instead of running it. Noooooo.... Drats....Rats....Boo-Hoo. We lost...Sam & Sandy won. We accepted the final conclusion of this wild football game. What else could we do? There was not going to be a replay or overtime. We faced our loss with dignity and strength. WAAAAA! We are at their mercy. Please be kind and gentle we silently whisper under our breaths. Lulu is just plain confused. She knows no losses. Be strong, Lulu. Sam must have had this planned for a year.....with very little hesitancy, he said they wanted to go to The Cheesecake Factory in a limousine. Besides their main entrees, he would be ordering their "to die for" hot fudge sundae. Geez.....McDonald's has a nice hot fudge sundae....with or without nuts! too. How about that? No way....we are going all the way.....at the Cheesecake Factory. So be it......we must pay up gracefully. After some prep work (at thrift stores and flea markets) we were ready for today....our pay-up day. Time to just suck it up and do what is right. Today was the day we gracefully and professionally escorted Sam and Sandy to The Cheesecake Factory. We have scraped and saved our pennies for this event. Only eating out with coupons and only buying sale items (at the flea markets and thrift stores). Lulu sold pencils on the street corner and made a tidy sum that she contributed to the Foreman Fund. What a sweetheart she is...so kind and giving. She's one of a kind! We stuck together all the way. Family, you know. Fortunately, we have a black car. That was kind of close to becoming a limousine. All it needed was a limo sign inside....thus, a paper covered box with "Limo" printed on it. Perfect! Now for our uniform garb. Cory bought his limo-like hat at the flea market...best and closest we could find. A baseball cap that read "Jesus Loves You" was the other choice. Lucky Cory, he had his black cruise suit to wear......me, what can I wear? I went shopping at the "Army" (Salvation) and tried on some men's vests. They were okay but, like a miracle, I found a uniform top from Crispers (a salad/ veggie + more restaurant)...excellent, even though I looked more like a cook than a limo driver....it worked. I wore my fancy, sparkling cap that I had from before (another flea market find)....it made me look like a fancy chef. I liked that....love sparkles! We made up name tags to wear: Lulu's Limo Service. Not done yet. By pure luck, we found a porcelain sign at the Webster Flea Market. Guess what it said? Almost, reader friends...It said "E.Foreman". I'm not kidding....how much perfect can you get? With a dab of paint, the "E" was quickly transformed into an "S". It kind of looked like a 5 but close enough. From a distance, no one could tell......stand back everyone. On Valentines Day, we bought a bouquet of red roses.....so what that they are fake....they will last longer. That's what Cory told the cashier as we checked out when she looked Cory up and down and sideways and said "you know these aren't real?" Her face read: cheapskate. Never to question our purpose. We knew what we wanted: A Rose is A Rose is A Rose....what's the diff?What's left to do: drinks and appetizers for the limo. When at the "Army" Cory found a metal, Christmas box similar to the one we use to store our gift cards in. Sam had commented that he like our tin box.....another perfect item for these two well-deserved winners. We filled the box with some of their favorites: Lorna Doones and Peppermint Patties. But wait....drinks. What to put them in? Again, the "Army" served us well with what we needed. We found a long, padded, thin, zippered cooler bag. We covered the "Lockheed Martin" logo with a taped-on sign that read: Lulu's Limo Service ...Provided by Cory & Sandy. We tucked a small bottle of Moscato wine and a can of Diet Coke in it....that works. Anything else....yes. We provided each of these lucky, gifted winners with a gift certificate that looked like a $1000.00 bill......it did have our pictures in the center which obviously made it more authentic. We also had The Cheesecake Menu Book in the Limo for them to peruse as we drove them to their desired destination. Our pick up time was 2:30 PM ( so we could miss and beat the crowds). They were so anxious for this pay-up (fearful we would default?), they came over before we had everything loaded so we quickly improvised. Threw the Limo box on the car roof and thrust the roses in Sandy's arms before she knew what was happening. Cory stood straight and professional in his dapper uniform holding the "S.Foreman" porcelain sign. Mr. & Mrs. Foreman now knew that their dreams were coming true...their limo was ready for their rewarded ride to The Cheesecake Factory. They enjoyed the amenities that went with Lulu's Limo Service. The Driver:Cory, toured them around Tropical Palms before we left......for The Cheesecake Factory.

Driver Cory pulled up in front of this lavish establishment and assisted the honored couple into the restaurant. He used valet parking and their staff mentioned what a tough job being a chauffeur can be. He agreed and said he understood the stress of their jobs also......driver to driver talk. Cory and I stood in line like 2 Russian Soldiers to get on the seating list. No reservations allowed when Cory called earlier. We had Sam & Sandy seated with some "todo" so that people began to wonder who was this important couple. They moved away to allow them plenty of room and understood they could not look at them....and definitely not speak to them. We were in shock when we were told the wait would be 1 1/2 hours. We explained we were presenting Mr. & Mrs. Foreman. She asked about a reservation and Limo Guy said they wouldn't take one when he called. She said any call after 11:00 AM wouldn't be allowed a reservation.....he called at 11:02....now we know. Live and Learn......even for Mr. & Mrs. Know It All. She was startled when she realized they ( Thee Foremans) were already there but there was nothing she could do to hasten the time. She asked Driver Man for his USA phone number....yes! She thought we were Russian something's. Yahooooo. They would call Limo Guy on his phone when our seat was ready. We strolled through the Millimiim Mall where this Cheesecake Factory is located. People stared and heads turned wondering who were these special, famous people? Our secret had to be kept. We wanted no pauperazzi chasing us on the important occasion. We had these curious gawkers step to the side as The Foremans passed through. Finally, our table was ready....please step aside.....Mr. & Mrs. Foreman is here. Ooooooo......I know I heard these comments from the huge, tired, waiting crowd. Since Sandy & Sam had already perused the menu in the Limo, we were able to order quickly. Cory had told Sam they ran out of salmon (his favorite) and he would have to get a hot dog.....Sam knows better, he's been around Driver Dan long enough to never believe a thing he says. The food was excellent. We enjoyed the free bread served at our table as we studied (and drooled some, too) this important twosome devour their enormous meals. They seemed happy and content. My water was nice and cold. Just kidding....Cory and I also had terrific meals. The best was yet to come: Sam's Hot Fudge Sundae with extra Hot Fudge on the side. He asked for four spoons but we knew he had been yearning for this delicacy far too long....so we ordered one also...just like his: extra hot fudge on the side. You can learn a lot traveling with this guru. Whoa, I didn't realize this treat was the size of a small boulder. But, boy, was it wonderful...another "to die for" yum-yum. We had most of it ingested before I was able to remember it was photo time. Better late than never. Our waitress was good and then got even better when we introduced her to the famous and royal Mr. & Mrs. Foreman. Sam promptly informed her he was the founder of Domino's Pizza (who happens to be from Toledo, also). Wow....was she impressed. She wanted to know what more she could for them...anything, just anything at all. She dropped a hint to Sam if he would contact her if there was a job opening. We explained we were their hired drivers and escorted them wherever they wanted to go while here in Florida. We shared with the waitress that once a year they would allow us to join them at a restaurant as long as we paid the bill. She just looked at us pathetically. She sadly handed Cory the bill. I excused myself for awhile and washed a few dishes and then we were ready to go.

Limo Driver Cory called for our limo with the valet service.....even a line for that. I thought for sure with our get-ups and performance we would have been at the front of every line.....wrong. Power and fame did nothing for this legendary couple and their hired staff. Maybe if Lulu had been visible, things might have been different. She seems to have a lot of pull and influence. Go Girl! Our eventful evening had come to end.....time to escort our winning couple to their motor home. We hope they enjoyed it as much as we did.

Where else can I wear by Crispers top? I'll work on that. More importantly, our debt was paid. We are free from the stress. Just wait for next year, Foremans. We are already planning our big winner's event with all the bells and whistles we can possibly squeeze into one day. Remember, Driver Cory's other name: "Mr. Lucky". We'll give you our pick-up time after the game. So long to wait but oh, it will be so worth it........Cha-Ching! ??☺️??

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Photos

Limousine Service
The Guests: Mr. & Mrs. Sam Foreman

The Destination
Sam & Sandy at The Cheesecake Factory

Limo Driver
Driving Sam's scooter

Documentation Photo
Foreman's pose with staff

Professional Driver
Watching over customer, Sam

Toledo
That's where it began

Dining Experience
Dining with the help

Photo shots
Attempt at a selfie

Sam's Desire
Mega Hot Fudge Sundae

Police Escort
For Limo Ride