The Scorpion at Luigi's

The Scorpion at Luigi’s

Luigi’s is one of the best lunch experiences in Bakersfield. It has been family owned for over 100 years. On Friday, my last day on the job with Cameron, the Pall filter guys took me and my inside salesman to lunch. I know they wanted to pump me for information while they still had a chance. That’s cool, I have a legendary 26 years of information that I will not be using any longer. Friday at Luigi’s can be very busy. It’s not uncommon to have to wait an hour for a table. So we arrived early and got a table on the patio. It was a beautiful spring day with the flowers on the patio in bloom. I ordered the Friday seafood special, sautéed salmon topped with candied walnuts and a small Giovanna salad (instead of pasta). My inside guy ordered the mussels.

We ordered a side of blue cheese and pickled tongue to go with the rolls that are also served with a few slices of Italian cold cuts and cheese. The sugar in the candied walnut topping made a sweet and savory crust on the salmon. The generous portion of salmon was delicately cooked, delicious and moist.

As we all were being seated, I got an e-mail message that a customer needed some filters.  We did not have them in stock, but we had everyone at the table to make things happen.  The distributor sent a text to check on his inventory in Houston.  They had stock and could still make a shipment that afternoon when UPS picked up.  My inside guy gave a verbal PO and I e-mailed the customer that he would have filters on Wednesday.  Even though it’s my last day, I’m still excited to see the transaction happen from the table as the blue cheese and pickled tongue is being served. 

I commented, “I can’t believe that I give a shit about this order, it’s my last day.  That is why Ross and Pat call me the Scorpion.”

“What does that mean?”

I explained that when we were all taking cuts in commission and benefits at my last job, I kept on selling and working hard over every prospect and every sale while some of the other salesmen worked only half-heartedly.  When they asked why I was still working so hard, I would say, “I can’t help it, it’s in my nature.  Like the Frog and the Scorpion.”  And I explained, as the story goes, the frog and the scorpion were on the river bank one day and the scorpion asked the frog to take him across the river on his back.  The frog said NO, you will sting me and I’ll drown.  The scorpion says, I promise I will not sting you.  If I sting you then we will both drown.  So the frog agreed and half way across the river, the scorpion stings him.  And as they are sinking into the river, the frog says, why did you sting me?  Now we will both drown.  The scorpion says, “I can’t help it, it’s my nature.” 

I got the story from the Soprano’s in the episode where Tony takes over the sporting goods store from his friend as payment for money loaned in a poker game.  As Tony and his crew is selling everything in the store and charging the guys credit cards to the limits and the guy loses his family, his livelihood, his inventory and is sleeping in the store in his last sleeping bag, he asks Tony, “Why did you do this to me?”  Tony says, “It’s in my nature” and tells the story of the Frog and the Scorpion.  It’s a lesson that we can all learn from when judging someone’s character. 

Barns and Nobel

For years I would go to Barns and Nobel to search for new music that I could listen to samples of on the head sets they provided.  I could scan the bar code on the CD and tell if I liked the music or not.  I have found a lot of great new music this way.  And as a result Barns and Nobel sold me many new CDs.  Some time ago some “genius” in the Barns and Nobel corporate office decided to remove the listening devices from the stores.   When I complained to the store manager in Bakersfield about this bad decision, she told me to call the corporate office in New York.  And this week in Houston, I found the same thing.  Only this time I got the corporate phone # (800-THE-BOOK).  I’ll call on Monday and suggest that they provide head phones with a credit card or drivers license deposit at the counter.  That will protect the equipment and keep the riffraff out.  Please, join me and call the Idiot at Barns and Noble and ask them to put the listening stations back in their stores.  I wonder how many books they would sell if you couldn’t open them and sample the text.

Nicole Henry - Embraceable

My intuition was working when I bought the CD “Embraceable” by Nicole Henry without the benefit of hearing a sample.  If you like easy listening jazz vocals and love songs, I highly recommend it.  It was a lucky guess on my part.  I recognized some of the song titles, “Just a little lovin’”, “Since I Fell for You” and “Embraceable You”, my favorite song on the CD is “Waiting in Vain”.  It’s a song about a woman waiting for her lover to commit.  It’s a sad song, slow and beautiful.  The whole CD is great music for a Sunday morning or to enjoy while cooking with a glass of wine (preferable, Le Cuvier).  The CD is a bit peppier than Diana Krall which can be a little too slow sometime.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncE35lIFWa4