Page 35 of Dangerous December
“But...”
Dev laughed. “You are one insistent man.”
“That’s because I saw the look in your eye when we walked through this building—and your expression when you opened all of these doors. Just like a kid on Christmas Eve.”
“Well...I’ve been imagining an adventure sporting goods place on the main floor. Someone might be able to establish a good business if the economy doesn’t falter too much. Then again, it would be a huge risk to even try.”
“And down here?”
“Kayak and inner tube rentals. Maybe canoes. Customers could practically step outside these doors and go right into thewater. Of course, there’d need to be van service of some kind for return transport.”
Dev felt a glimmer of excitement building in the pit of his stomach. “Rock-climbing gear, cross-country and downhill ski equipment...there could be something for every season.”
He cleared his throat, a little embarrassed. “For whoever might be crazy enough to take the risk, that is.”
“Crazy? Sounds like a great idea to me. Of course, I never did get into all of that,” Frank said with a wistful smile. “I’m just a stuffy old man who wouldn’t know a kayak from a duck boat.”
“It’s not too late.”
“Even in my younger days, I wasn’t all that coordinated.” Frank gave a self-deprecating laugh. “So...if somestrangerwere to pursue that dream of yours, what might he do with that strip of land between the back of the building and the creek?”
“Picnic tables, maybe, so customers and staff could come out and have lunch. Think it would work?”
“Sounds great. How soon can you open?”
Dev choked back a startled laugh at Frank’s subtle persistence. “Like I said—”
“Sounds like you’ve been doing a lot more thinking about this than you realize, son. If I were you, I’d put a pen to paper and see if it’s possible. How hard could it be? You need a new career. This building is yours—or it will be—and it’s perfect.”
“You make it sound easy.”
“Maybe not easy, but it could be a lot of fun. New beginnings can be a grand adventure.” Frank pursed his lips. “I’ve found that praying hard on something helps guide me in the right direction...unless God has better plans. You oughta give it a try.”
“Now you sound like Beth.”
Frank gave him a keen, penetrating look. “Well, she’s a believer, and she’s a young woman who set out to accomplishthings on her own and did them well. So I guess I’ll take that as a real compliment.”
Back up on the main level, Frank followed Dev out onto the street and watched as he locked the door.
Dev hesitated. “I have to admit I thought about this place last night, when I couldn’t sleep. I kept thinking about display cases and merchandise, wondering if it was even possible.”
“Well, I can tell you that there’s not another business like it within twenty miles of Agate Creek, and the tourist trade has been increasing every year. Good, steady business all summer long, and they expect at least twenty thousand visitors during Fall Harvest weekend.”
“But in the winter...”
“In the winter, folks come to Wisconsin for cross-country skiing and snowmobiling. Last year, the mayor’s assistant recorded visitor license plates from all over the Midwest. Not bad for a little town like ours.”
“I’ll give it some thought.”
“Good timing,” Frank mused. “The Fall Harvest Festival is in two weeks. If you get on it, you could put up a few display cases and racks, and bring in some merchandise to showcase your plans for the future. That could really get some word-of-mouth going for you, with all those people trampling through.”
“Sounds like a great idea, but I don’t know where I’d even begin...and that’s not much time.”
Frank rocked back on his heels, rubbing his chin as if deep in thought. “You wouldn’t need to get the whole place pulled together by then. Some nice big outdoor sports posters in the windows might be just the ticket.”
Dev stepped back toward the curb and studied the front of the building. “And bright flags out front—with a few colorful kayaks leaning against the wall...”
“It wouldn’t take that much to get started, inside. Shelving, some displays. Figuring out what to order would be the hardest part, but I might just know someone who could give you some tips.”
