BEING AN OPTIMIST - I'M LOVIN' IT!

Had quite an entertaining day today. Got a call early this morning from Orlando... to be more specific, from a company that owns 22 McDonald's in the Orlando area and the lady on the phone wanted to know if I ran the Ready For The Game Camp. After replying "yes," she asked for my fax number and then hung up. What the heck? That was strange. So I patiently wait for my fax. Hmm what could it be?

Tic-toc-tic-toc.... an hour goes by, then two as the fax machine remains silent. So, before going to lunch, I decide to call the number she called me from and find out a little more about this mystery... but I get an answering machine.

Another hour goes by without a response (or a fax). Now my curiosity meter is pegged out. What could McDonald's want with regard to my camp? That's when the optimist in me started to get out of hand... I began thinking about how involved McDonald's actually is with high school basketball. Everybody knows about the McDonald's All American Games... then there's the McDonald's Hoop Time Tournaments... the McDonald's Texas Invitational. Heck McDonald's is like second to Nike at sponsoring High School basketball stuff. Yep, that must be it... they must want to bring the Ready Camp to Orlando (and sponsor it of course). Orlando is a huge market... somehow it will be tied together with their 22 stores... it all makes sense.

Not wanting this opportunity to slip away, I call back again and finally reach the secretary. I tell her about the earlier phone call and that I had not yet received the fax. She replied "Oh yes, you need to speak to Heather in Marketing." So I'm thinking to myself... Heather in marketing? Wow...this is going to be great... with McDonald's doing the marketing this will be huge. Heather's phone rings four, five and six times, and then I get her voice mail. Grrrr right back where I started... no fax, no answers, still wondering.

Late this afternoon, my fax machine finally spits out the golden ticket I had been waiting for all day... a three page fax with the official McDonald's logo.... it was an invitation from McDonald's to.... wha... huh... [sound of air deflating from a balloon in the background] "...we guarantee the success of your field trip... your kids will love to eat our delicious food and play in our PlayPlace, remodeled with a Kid's Club House/Tree House theme... complete with toddler play area... we also offer a unique dining experience that is quite impressive."

They were inviting me to hold my camp at their Orlando Summer Camp facility complete with fine dining... uh thanks Heather, but I'll have to pass on this one. Couldn't help but smile and laugh about it all. I'm lovin' it!