In debt to Art 12-05-10

I have been to Florida on numerous occasions prior to opening the current fitness facility. I was aware of the many con men and bunko artists and scammers that tend to drift down here. They prefer to prey on elderly people but almost any pigeon will do. On one of my scouting missions in '09, I ran into a real estate guy named Rodney. The rumor was that Rodney had made a ton of money during the good times with over 40 Valet Parking accounts and rolled that cash over into every commercial building he could buy or build. During the scouting mission, a number of vacancies had his phone number on the sign in the window. During a conversation on the phone, I learned all about Rodney's divorce and high rolling lifestyle without even asking him. When I pulled up to one of his empty commercial units, he was already waiting for me in his large black BMW. He was thin, with unkempt blond hair and looked like a tanned, weather-beaten 45 year old hustler. His rumpled suit jacket nearly matched his wrinkled, tie-less shirt. He mentioned something about his dad's many years in the business...as though to give me confidence in his own integrity. My three years with Art had already made me jumpier than a bomb-squad epileptic, and every warning alarm went off as ol Rodney and I entered his vacant 4000 square foot building. I pointed out the "will divide" sign on the window, and asked him what he wanted for a three year lease on 2000 square feet. Rodney looked at me as if I had asked for his ex-wife's phone number. He said he couldn't possibly divide the building in half! It would require an additional rest room and 30 thousand dollars! I pointed to the sign on the window again, and listened to an Art Van-like burst of double-talk about building inspectors and codes.  To be continued....