A Weird Sense of Accomplishment

Eleven to eight, six days a week.  That's what Mad Munch's new hours were that first summer, 2019.  We'd go in around 10:30am & be out of there about twenty or thirty minutes after eight.  They days went by at a gruelling pace at first, but we kept ourselves busy by learning some new tricks of the trade.

I finally got the Hobart slicer up & running.  It was great.  I literally picked up where I left off at Jimmy Johns, ten years earlier.  Slicing 9 lb. Turkey Breasts, 12 lb. Tavern Hams, 6 lb Hard Salamis & large hunks of Roast Beef anywhere from 8-13 lbs. to boil in the French Onion Soup mix.  It's a chore that I take great pride in & don't hate doing.  

It's hard to explain, but slicing meats gives you a weird sense of accomplishment.     

And, with the addition of the slicer, the meats were more fesh & about half the price of when I previously had to buy them pre-sliced.  I bought a digital scale, weighed out the old portions we used & took notes to keep them the same.

Kate was busy perfecting her new tomato soup recipe.  We knew we needed the staple soup to be a standout so I remember trying many variations before she hit the goldmine.

The secret?

"Butter," Kate would say.

She also was very excited to make her own large batches of Ranch dressing.  That took some time as well, but she's what I'd call a "Ranch Connoisseur," so it was a labor of love.

Other house-made sauces would follow, once I got our brand new Dean deep fryer up & running.  The first day I intended to debut it, I actually didn't buy enough oil to fill it up all the way, so I had to wait an extra day to grab another 35 lb. container from Smart & Final (my go-to spot for Mad Munch needs in a pinch).

After reading the owner's manual & getting the pilot lit, I was able to test our some hash brown patties & then some "Zesty Twister Fries" a.k.a. Curly Fries.  I'd always been a huge fan of Curly Fries & at times would visit Arby's just for them.  So, it was a no-brainer when choosing which shape/flavor of fried potatoes to sell as a side to our Cheezers.

Kate suggested we give them our own little touch by adding Old Bay Seasoning, a Maryland staple for seafood.   

Our friend, Brad from Nomad Donuts in North Park, who'd recommended our health plans guy & architect, stopped by the moment I lifted our first basket of Curly Fries from the fryer.  It was as if to bless our new fryer & welcome us into the new restaurant world of fried sides.

Soon, our "Curlz" became a major player in our Monday-Friday "Lunch Combo" which helped lured in many new customers who read it on the sidewalk "A" board outside our front door.

Extended Hours & Pop-Ins

After we opened the store, naturally all of our friends wanted to come & check out our new digs.  I guess that's why most new businesses do a "soft opening?"  I don't know, but we got so slammed on our opening day, May 29, 2019, that we didn't plan another opening ceremony.     

No, it was full speed ahead for Kate & I.  We went from little (1-2 lunches a week selling Cheezers) to no work to being open 6 days a week.   We were trying to make up for lost time & all of those lost sales in April & May.  

At first, our hours were 11-8pm on Saturday & Sundays & 2-8pm Tuesday-Friday.  We were so wrapped up in it that we missed the obvious.

"You guys should be open for lunch during the week," a lady told me one of the first days we were open.  

That was pretty much all it took.  Sometimes your customers can see the obvious things that you've overlooked.

So, that was the end of the 2-8 weekday hours.  Kate & I threw ourselves into an 11-8pm operating schedule with Mondays off.  

That's really the best way to get good at something & gain experience- just throw yourself into 110%.  

Of course, our friends became curious, because they didn't see us around as often.  When you spend a good 54+ hours a week taking care of our business, you don't really feel like hanging out as often after hours.  So, they came to where they knew we'd be, at Mad Munch.

Kate was usually up front taking orders & I'd be back on the griddle when people would show up, "Just to say 'hi,'" & make their way to the back of house.  This was long before I built a cart for trash & recycling to extend the front counter all the way to the wall.  And, one of the main reasons that I did so.

"Wow, that goes really far back," a friend would say, & "your kitchen is huge!"

And, it was partly our fault, allowing people to go behind the scenes, but Kate & I were new to the whole scene also & it was exciting for everyone.

Now, when people "pop in" on a busy Saturday afternoon, a few drinks in, just to say, "hi," I often think of a Seinfeld episode where an annoying heckler ruins Jerry's comedy set.

"Wouldn't that be the ultimate comedian's revenge- to go down to their office & heckle them," Jerry said. 

And, I agree.  That would be satisfying, to stop by someone's cubicle on a Monday, of all days, a few drinks in, just to say "hi."  I might as well comment on how large their office is, too.

Maybe, one day, I'll get around to it.  When I'm not working so much.  

Menu Board with a Capital "M"

Kate & I talked about how to present our menu in the shop for what seemed like years.  

We thought about doing the digital TV screen menu like you see inside fast-food places, but I always hated how it would change when you were trying to read it.  That & it just didn't feel like Mad Munch- it felt a little too fancy for us.  Not to mention that it was really expensive to go that route as well.    

We also tried to work out a refrigerator concept with Eric, our contractor.  The plan was to hang a large sheet of stainless steel on the wall behind the front counter so it would look like a giant refrigerator door with magnets, etc. but the size/shape of it wasn't quite right.

So, we ended up taking a different route altogether.  It was Kate's idea to use our to-go boxes to make a creative menu with full color photos:

I have to admit, I'd never seen a menu quite like it.  And, if you look closely, you'll see that the white open boxes with the Cheezer pictures in them actually form a capital "M."  

Looking back, we actually had a lot less D.S.Qs (Dumb Sh#t Questions) with that original shop menu.  Sure, some people didn't realize we were a restaurant that served sandwiches & thought we were an art gallery, but all of the pertinent information was there- printed in magic marker in Kate's handwriting.      

676 Days Later...Yup, We Open!

All that was left was a twisted Kryptonite U-lock dangling from the street post in front of Mad Munch.  The beach cruiser I'd been riding for the last year & a half was gone, the fourth bike that had been ripped off since I'd moved to San Diego.

I didn't have time to get upset or go on a rant over it.  Not that day.  It was finally time to get down to business.  Kate & I had waited 676 days to open our doors & sell Cheezers to the public in OB.  That was two bikes ago.  Nope, on this day:  May 29, 2019, our sign finally read, "Yup."

Kate & I got everything firing on all cylinders in our new kitchen & the menu board was looking sharp as people actually lined up before to 2 pm to get in.  

Our friend, Kerry, told us that he has a thing with being the first customer.  "I just wanna be able to say that I ate there first before anyone else."

Apparently, that's a thing?  

And, so is hiring your friend to be an inflatable tube man.  Yeah, we did that.  Well, our friend, Molly, volunteered to do it for a Cheezer.  Here's a link to the video of here spirited performance:

https://www.facebook.com/kate.uhle/videos/10103428472725283  

We were pretty slammed most of the day thanks to all of that fanfare.  Kate was taking customer orders left & right, while I had a full griddle top for most of the afternoon.  By almost 8:30pm, we were finally able to turn the tide & complete all of the orders.

Kate shut the door & turned off the stereo.  We had made & sold over 130 Cheezers in just over six hours of being open- a record that would stand for years to come.

A Full Day Before Opening Day

The clock was finally ticking down to Opening Day.  Tuesday morning I came back to OB with a car load of groceries & we unloaded into the shop for the first time, right out front on Newport Avenue.  I took the car back home with discarded cardboard boxes & rode my beach cruiser back up to the store.

First, I had to break in the new griddle top by turning it on low for an hour & then season it with baking soda.  After I covered the entire 48" x 25" surface, I wiped it clean with paper towels & proceeded to cook over 20 lbs. of bacon.

Kate was busy cutting up the tomatoes & chives & loading up all of the pans with cheeses into the mega cold table.  Then, we both buttered a close to 20 loaves of Sourdough with our special seasoning.  That's what took up most of the afternoon.  By the time we reached a good stopping point it was close to sunset & we we're both exhausted.

"Let's go eat at Bravo's.  I could really go for some loaded nachos right about now," I said.

Kate agreed & we walked the two blocks down Newport to the Mexican joint on the corner of Bacon Street.  We split a giant plate of supreme nachos.  The food tasted great after working all day.

"So, we'll just go in around one & make sure everything's ready to rock," Kate said.  

"Sounds good.  I wonder how we'll do with the market going on & everything?" I asked.

"I think it'll be pretty good," Kate said & we paid our check & left.  "What about your bike?"

"Oh yeah," I said.  "It'll be alright.  I don't feel like walking back up there.  I just wanna go home."

Famous last words.  My black beach cruiser never made it to see our Grand Opening.  Or maybe it did.  But, I never rode it or saw it again.     

Approval Day: May 27, 2019

I was still sleeping when Kate shook me awake.  

“We’re in!  We’re in- they did it!”  Kate yelled.  “Final health is approved!”

It was Memorial Day 2019.  May 27th, exactly 3 months before our wedding- our lucky number 27 struck yet again!  Now it was “Approval Day.”

I threw some clothes on & we both rode our beach cruisers to the shop.  Eric & his crew were there, correlating all of the paperwork.

“Congratulations guys,” Eric said.  “You now have the green light to start selling your delicious grilled cheeses.”

“Thank you guys so much,” Kate said.  “Oh my God, it doesn’t even feel real.”  The moment was like something you’d see on a reality show when the home builder shares the big reveal with the home owner.  

I thanked Eric & his crew multiple times as well.  It had taken them a little more than 4 months to get it done, but I know most of extra time was due to the city & waiting for inspections.  None of that mattered right then- the shop looked great & it was our turn to take over.

We all left together, the builders for the last time & Kate & I for the first of many, many, many times, we hoped.

“Tomorrow, I’ll go to Restaurant Depot & we’ll getting everything setup, stocked & cook a bunch of bacon on our new griddle,” I said. 

“Perfect.  Then we’ll open Wednesday 2-8,” Kate said.  “I’ll post it on facebook & instagram.  I don’t want to do anything too big for a grand opening.”  

We spent the rest of the day hanging out with some friends in our yard, enjoying one last day off.  It was hard not to share the biggest Mad Munch news we’d had in years.  

The irony of Approval Day was also hard not to notice. 

After all of the waiting around, it only made sense that we’d open on a Wednesday afternoon, right before the OB Farmers Market began, just a block away from our new shop’s front door. 

Staying Sharp in Different Time Zones

It’s hard sometimes to keep your pencil sharp, when you go days or even weeks without drawing anything.  That’s what was going on for Kate & I when we only had a handful of gigs over a period of close to two months.  

You get into such a groove sometimes, doing whatever it is that you do, that it’s easy to forget even the fundamental things- like fire for us.  

Well, having enough propane to keep the grill lit, for us.  That was the case when Kate called me in Austin, the weekend I was celebrating my bachelor party.

“Shoot- my bad,” I told her.  “I forgot all about that.  Just run down to Expo, by the airport.  Today’s Saturday, they should be open.  You know where it is right?”

“Yeah, I went there with you that one time on the way to San Diego Made,” Kate said.

“Good.  It should only be like ten bucks,” I said.  “ Just pay cash.  Mike will give you a discount if you pay cash.”

Our friend, Jax, was there to help Kate out at OB Beans for our Saturday & Sunday setups.  Kate, along with Jax, had already been to Austin for her bachelorette party weekend back at the end of April.  

The “Live Music Capital of the World” seemed to me like a great place to celebrate one last single hurrah with my friends & Kate ultimately agreed.  We definitely didn’t want to go the same weekend & I insisted that she go first, so she could give me the lowdown on all of the hotspots.  

Anyway, they got the propane re-filled no problem & the OB Beans setup went off without any issues.  I saw the bat migration at the Congress Street Bridge & got to sing karaoke at Ego’s, while Kate got to make breakfast cheezers & have the house to herself.  A win-win.

Our friends Maggie & Mitch (with Shooter) enjoying Mad Munch on the back patio at OB Beans

When I got home on Monday, there was more to celebrate:

“Good news, we passed mechanical today!” Kate announced.  

“You’re kidding me?” I asked & she shook her head.  “Hell yeah- one more to go!”

“And, I rode by the alley earlier today & the ladder is up.  They’re all done with that & the parking spots in back.”

“Oh yeah, it’s good to be back.  C’mon health!  Did Eric schedule the final health inspection yet?” I asked.

“He’s going down there first thing tomorrow,” Kate said.  “He said hopefully someone can come out before the end of the week.”

Excellent.  

It was after midnight on May 21.  Fingers crossed we’d be open for the holiday weekend at the start of summer. 

Sure, I’d wanted some time to get the hang of things in the kitchen first, but we’d take what we could get.  We’d rather be thrown into the fire than stay out in the cold any longer.

An Unlikely Road Trip to the Land of Lincoln

My parents came out to visit Kate & I that spring.  They stayed in our spare room for about a week.  Originally, the plan was for them to help us out when the store finally opened- give us an extra hand to tackle the long lines we’d be facing.

Instead, we spent a lot of time in our yard, & trying to stay busy with errands & chores around the house. It was great to have them around, but without time away at work. it got to be a bit overwhelming.

"Why don't you guys ride back with us to Illinois for Brennen's reception," my mom asked. "Everybody's gonna be there & it'd be nice for you guys to get away from this whole business with the shop for a while."

"That's not a bad idea. The shop definitely won't be ready by next weekend, & we could just fly home a couple days after the party," I said. It would be nice to get out of town for longer than a one night camping trip- really recharge the batteries before our big grand opening. And it would be great to see some friends & family back home.

"How many days does it take to drive it?" Kate asked.

"Well, it's 2,000 miles. And, we don't like to drive much more than 500 miles or 8 hours a day. So, 4 days total," my mom said. "Get the atlas & you can pick where we stop."

My parents were driving their 1997 Chevy Explorer G1-1500 Van, so there was plenty of room. With a rear seat that reclined into a bed, there was enough room to read or take a nap.

We left around 8am one morning & stopped at Desert View Tower before saying goodbye to San Diego County & hello to the vast desert. We recharged at a Freddy's in Yuma on steakburgers & custard shakes as the thermometer climbed into triple digits.

After navigating some Phoenix rush hour traffic we parked the van in Mesa at my uncle Larry's rental. He lived on a golf course, so we went to eat dinner at the clubhouse for Taco Tuesday.

That night , I got a call from Chris, our architect. He had been working closely with Eric the last few days to re-submit documents for inspection.

"What's taking do long is that one of the inspectors says you have to put in a ladder in the back of the property so that there is roof access to the hood," Chris explained. "I don't know why it's really necessary, I've never had to add one before but, it's something we're gonna have to put in to pass inspection."

"Alright, I guess we have no choice then. How much is that gonna run?" I asked.

"Eric quoted it, with labor, to be around 5 grand," he said.

"Sure, why the hell not? Tell 'em to go for it. We can make that up in no time once we're open."

The next day, I took a shift driving the van. It rode pretty smooth on I-40 through Arizona & into New Mexico. We only stopped for gas, to eat & to stay in a hotel overnight.

Along the way, we visited Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona, Cadillac Ranch in Texas, a Totem Pole Park in Oklahoma & the original Bass Pro Shop in Springfield, Missouri. After passing the Gateway Arch in St. Louis & stopping for corn dogs & tenderloins at the Cozy Dog Drive-In in Springfield, Illinois.

It was my turn to drive as we approached Lincoln, about an hour from Peoria. "We might as well stop by the old college. I haven't seen it since I graduated in 2003," I said.

Driving down Keokuk Street I saw that my dorm was still standing there on the right- Carroll South. The landscaping was different, but now the red brick building was amongst a swarm of students presumably coming & going from final exams.

What a feeling to be holding a Mad Munch shirt in front my old window where people used to ring my doorbell & I'd throw down my keys so they could come up. The same window that once smelled of butter & American cheese.

The same spot where Mad Munch Inc. was founded by 3 friends who were bored & hungry, drinking Natty Lights & thinking, "There's got to be a better way to get hot food around here without using a microwave or driving to Hardees."

Sixteen years after I'd graduated from Lincoln College & we'd been kicked out of my dorm & then the Student Center. Six more years of pop-up tents & electric griddles inside of brewery tasting rooms. And now, with plenty of help from my soon to be wife, Kate, we were on the doorstep of opening Mad Munch Grilled Cheezer Co. in southern California, 3 blocks from the Pacific Ocean.

Like making a great grilled cheese, building a great restaurant (& a career) takes time.

Sitting There In Limbo, Waiting For the Sign-Off

I can see why some people can get antsy when they don’t have a task or a project in front of them.  I’m not one to get bored- I can always seem to find something to do- but when you work for so long & so hard on one particular thing & that thing suddenly goes away it’s tough.

And it seems that all there is to do is spend money when you’re not making it. 

 

That’s where Kate & I were at in early April 2019.  Sitting at home with a locked door on our storefront & on a car full of dry goods with no where to sell them.  

While I admit it was nice to have some time off from Mad Munch, I knew that we were essentially losing money every day & rents would be due on May 1st.  

Luckily, some of our old ties gave us some opportunities to make some sales.  Bonita Valley Church invited us out to serve our Cheezers at their Easter Carnival on Holy Saturday.  Jim Johnson at AC/Pro emailed us back about setting up again for another Friday “Customer Appreciation” Lunch.  Our good friend, Jackie, was also able to wrangle up another lunch setup at F.B.I. Headquarters in Sorrento Valley.

Our new neighbors, OB Beans, two doors down from us on Newport, let us pop up on their back patio (pictured) on a couple of Spring weekend dates.

“Hey, I know how hard the permit process can be,” Ben, the co-owner of OB Beans, said.  “Some of those inspectors can be real nit-picky down there.  Hopefully you get a good one.”

That’s what we were doing- hoping & waiting for our final two inspections.  Eric & his crew were pretty much finished- the outside was done, interior walls & floors were painted & all of the kitchen appliances were hooked up.  We just needed electrical & mechanical to be inspected.

“They’re a little backed up down at the city,” he told us.  “But don’t worry, everything’s in tip-top shape.  The inspector would have to be a real jerk not to pass us.” 

Get It While You Can

Kate & I reached the final week of market setups.  Over six years of parking the car, unloading the tent, the grill & coolers, lighting the grill, making sure the flame doesn't go out, & serving customers piping hot grilled cheese sandwiches.  

It was hard to believe that by that last Saturday night of March, we'd pack up the grill, coolers & tent for the last time.  

Exciting & scary at the same time, Kate & I had been dreaming about this particular moment in time for over two years- maybe longer.  

It was a busy week leading up to the final setup. There was Civic Plaza & OB on Wednesday, then SDSU Thursday, La Mesa on Friday night, followed by Poway early Saturday morning & then we catered a birthday party for Joselyn’s friend, Dylan, later that afternoon.

Four full days of setups & breakdowns in which we sold & served close to 350 Cheezers.  I was proud of that week’s grocery forecast, as we only had a handful of sourdough slices left.

That Sunday, Kate & I took a deep breath, relaxed at home with a few drinks & watched the Men’s NCAA Tournament on TV.  Afterall, “Munch Madness,” a grilled cheese with nacho cheese sauce & chips on it was the Cheezer of the Month for March.   

“Well, it doesn’t look like we’ll be in there this week,” Kate said.  

“That’s alright.  They’re getting pretty close,” I said.

“Yeah, & we already have both rents paid, so we’re in a good place right now,” she said.

We were.  And, I felt like we’d earned a little bit of leisure time.  That Thursday, with the Escape still packed with the grill, pop-up tent, Dirty Chips & other dry goods, I went camping & hiking out at Culp Valley in Anza-Borrego State Park.  I just did a one nighter out there & walked around the high desert & back into a hidden waterfall near a palm oasis.

“Can you at least be back around 5pm?”  Kate asked.  “I’ve got some high school friends in town & they want to meet us at Tony’s Bar for happy hour.”

So, I hurried back home the next day after the awesome hike at Maidenhair Falls, parked the car & biked over to Tony’s.  I caught my first glimpse of my big Mad Munch logo sign hanging up at our storefront, surrounded by the “Pacific Coast Blue” Kate & I had painted over a year & a half ago.  

Only now the bottom was painted to match & the new windows, front door & alcove were now all exposed to the street.  I stopped on my bike, across the street to take it all in.  It looked amazing.  Our dream shop looked just like the rendering that we’d submitted for the City’s Storefront Improvement Program.

I was ready to celebrate after that.  I didn’t plan on all of my friend’s in OB joining me at Tony’s though.  

“Surprise!” they all said when I walked in the door.  Stunned & a bit nervous, I walked around & shook everyone’s hand & thanked them like I was running for office or something.

“I figured we’d celebrate your birthday a little early,” Kate told me.  “Since, we’ll probably be busy at the shop next Saturday on your actual birthday.”

Just like when she got me that Beastie Boys album on vinyl months ahead of my birthday(when we quit our day jobs).  It’s better to get it while you can.

An Ultimatum of Permits

"I'm actually at the county health department in Kearney Mesa right now," I told Eric over the phone.  "And, your sure that we'll be able to open the shop in April?"

"Yes, I'm about 95% positive you guys will be selling grilled cheese in there by early April," Eric said.  "We're only a few days behind schedule, but it really comes down to passing the inspections."

"How many are there?" I asked.

"Three total, but we've already passed electrical, so that's good," he said.

So, with a wave of confidence I went into the county health building & closed out our Temporary Food Facility permit.  It was hard to believe that we'd been operating under the TFF for six years, but it was time to move on to bigger & better things.  

We could have bit the bullet & just renewed the permit for $702, but instead I would use that money to pay for our opening inventory at the shop.  

There was a lot of things for Kate & I to figure out in the next couple of weeks (putting together a menu board, figuring out how to use our new kitchen equipment, etc) but continuing to worry about weather & which markets were profitable was no longer one of them.

Friday's Market in La Mesa Village, Winter 2018

It felt like the sun was setting on our time on the Farmer's Market circuit anyhow.  We had set up at 19 different weekly markets since 2013.  There were only about 6 other markets we hadn't setup at, & that was only because we couldn't get into them or after I checked them out, I felt that we weren't a good fit.

"I'd also like to pay for the first year of our FPP (Food Permanent Processing) permit," I told the clerk after I cancelled our old TFF.

"When did you open your brick & mortar store?" she asked.

"Oh we haven't yet.  We plan to open Tuesday, April 3rd," I said proudly.

"Well, you can't apply for that until you have officially done business at the new location," she said.  "Once you open, just call us at this number or send an email to us & we'll mail out your first permit invoice.  Then, you'll have 30 days to pay it."

Opening Day.  There was a lot hinging on that specific date.  

Kate & I couldn't do much about the date until we got all of the approvals from the last two inspections.  We just hoped that Eric & his crew had done a good job & that the city wouldn't give us any problems.

Finding Calm After the Storm

There was some sort of miscommunication between us & the SDSU market.  When we showed up for the first Thursday market of the Spring semester someone was in our spot.

"I thought you guys weren't coming back, because you were opening up your store," Bryan said.  

"Well, the plan is to open mid-March," Kate told him.  "But, we didn't want to quit this market until we open the store."

Bryan looked a bit confused, but soon found us a different place to setup our booth.  It was sort of in the middle, on the far end of the giant square of tents.  And, it was actually in the shade for most of the day, which I was really excited about.

I liked our new spot better & the sales were comparable to our old space.  It was shame that four markets were cancelled due to rain during that semester (one Thursday when Kate & I actually went to the arena nearby to see Bob Seger in concert).  

We did make up for the rainouts by improvising some extra paying gigs.  One week at SDSU, I made 45 Cheezers up right at the start & our friend, Kim, picked them up & delivered them to the UCSD campus in La Jolla.  It was lunch for teachers & faculty there & we paid Kim to drive 'em there for us.  

I guess those freebies I'd taken there to John six months before finally netted some dividends.  

We also had another appearance at Fletcher Hills Little League for their Opening Day Ceremony & Movie Night, featuring one of my all time favorite films, The Sandlot.

With our TFF (Temporary Food Facility) permit due to expire at the end of March, we were squeezing in as many setups as possible.  Saving the annual renewal fee of $702 seemed like a good idea to Kate & I.  We could use that money somewhere else & focus all of our time & energy on getting the shop off the ground & running.            

Beach Better Have My Money

"Have you talked to Eric lately?" Kate asked.  "The last few times I walked by the store nobody was there."

"Was the door locked?" I asked.

"It was," she said.

"Huh."  I pulled out the calendar with the buildout schedule on it.  They were supposed to be working on the electrical that week.  "Let me call him."

My call went straight to voicemail, but he called me back within the hour.  "I'm headed over there right now.  Can you meet me up there?"

The door was open when I arrived.  It was just Eric by himself.  We quickly got past the small talk.

"The reason we haven't been here as much lately is that, we're kind of in a tight spot right now," he said.  "I need more cash flow.  I gotta pay my plumber & my electrician before we can move any further."

So, he needed more money.  Of course- don't we all.

"I take it the fifty is already all dried up, then?" I asked & he nodded.  "Alright, then so if I get you the rest of the money, than we'll be back on schedule?"

"Yeah, these guys get their money, then they'll be back in here & you guys should be in here serving grilled cheese by...mid-March, I'd say."

"March.  That's good.  Our TFF permit runs out at the end of March & we don't wanna renew it, so that would be great."

"If all of the inspections go as planned & we don't have any issues digging up the underground plumbing, then you guys should be open for business."

We shook hands & I left to go call up my folks.  I was basically asking for my inheritance ahead of time.  What was the big deal?  It was just another thirty grand.  

If you're gonna invest in something, you might as well invest in something that you & your future wife have been working your tails off for for the last six years.

"Alright.  If that's what you really want to do," my mom said over the phone.  "Remember Zach, you are on the hook for this, so you'll owe us back every red cent."

"I know. I know.  You'll get your money back eventually.  Mad Munch has made it this far.  There's no turning back now."