“His wife is a hoot,” Jeff announced.
Cavin figured that out firsthand last night while at the table with Georgia and the group.He brought up Georgia’s name to the guys as they putted on the fourth green and received mixed reactions although nearly every one of them made a comment about her attractiveness.She was one of those women who demanded attention with both her personality and looks.
Noel’s name popped up during the conversation about the Thanksgiving Feast, and one of the guys told a story about how the mayor’s wife tried to guess all the pies Noel baked.Each of the men spoke kind words about Noel, and one suggested she must be a superhero to take on all the responsibilities left to her following the tragic accident.Cavin wanted to ask follow-up questions, but somehow the conversation shifted quickly, and he never found a time to bring up Noel again without it sounding like he was prying.
Once Walt emptied a couple of canned beverages, he began opening up more to Cavin as the two of them rode along the cart path having private conversations.
“I understand some of the downtown shops are struggling to make a profit,” Cavin mentioned casually as they cruised along the path heading for the seventh hole.“That’s unfortunate.”
“You seem like a savvy businessman, so I am sure you noticed that Beaufort is primarily made up of small businesses.We have worked diligently to keep large chains from moving in and taking over because our local family businesses are so important, especially those that provide locally sourced products.However, around fifty percent of small businesses fail within five years.”
Cavin could teach a class on the statistics related to small businesses or nearly any size company for that matter although the numbers shifted in different areas of the country and even from one town to the next based on a variety of factors.“Yeah, the numbers are staggering,” he agreed.
“There has been a steady turnover rate of businesses outside of the major staples in our community.Ownership and rent in the waterfront district are quite the investment, so maintaining a substantial sales flow is vital.”
“What types of businesses seem to struggle most in Beaufort?”
“Restaurants often come and go, which is consistent throughout the United States.”
“I believe around seventy-five percent of locally owned restaurants flop within the first five years,” Cavin noted although he could quote more precise figures.Startup costs were often lofty due to industry-specific equipment needs, and finding reliable employees often proved to be emotionally and financially exhausting.“Are there any local restaurants you don’t think will make it?”
Walt shook his head in agreement in regards to the figure Cavin shared.“For sure,” he replied, listing a few that he didn’t think would survive much longer.“I imagine we don’t have to worry much about Clawson’s, Dock House, and some of the others that have showcased staying power.”
Earlier, Cavin mentioned that he visited both of those establishments, and Walt nodded approvingly.One of the restaurants Walt suggested might not make it was a couple of buildings over from Beaufort Candy Company which was music to Cavin’s ears since he already listed that line of buildings as a target for buyout.
When the wheels on the cart ahead of Cavin and Walt came to a halt at tee box number seven, the conversation also halted, but Cavin looked forward to picking up where they left off at the next opportunity.
Cavin decided that now would be an opportune time to flex his golf muscles, so he paid special attention to his footing, the proper bending of the knees, and a slow and steady backswing.He let his hands relax until the forward momentum of his long-distance driver forced his fingers to squeeze the handle grip at precisely the right moment.
For a seasoned golfer when the sweet spot on the head of the club struck the ball just right, the sound and feeling was comparable to a professional baseball player knowing a homerun had been hit at the point of contact.Although thousands of people weren’t gasping in the stands as the ball flew through the air, the five men gathered nearby immediately turned off the volume of their conversation.With widened eyes and mouths agape, the sounds of nature became present as they silently watched the flight of the ball in awe.The familiar chatter of nearby birds and the little feet of squirrels scampering on pine bark suddenly became apparent, yet none of them really heard that nor the mower in the distance.
When the ball landed, ten eyeballs shifted in unison toward Cavin.
“Holy cow, you drove that ball over 300 yards,” Jeff estimated.
“And right down the middle of the fairway,” Daniel added.
“That’s my teammate,” Walt exclaimed as he raised his hands for a double high-five.
Cavin grinned while soaking in the praise of his peers.“That’s my lucky shot of the day.”
“That’s THE shot of the day,” the doctor diagnosed.
“Nice one, buddy,” the chiropractor added in amazement.
Cavin usually pulled out a drive like this once or twice every time he played with amateurs, and amongst them he chopped it up to happenstance.He grew up playing golf with his dad and his dad’s friends.By the age of fifteen, he beat all of them on a regular basis, and by the age of eighteen, he outplayed every man at the country club to which his family belonged.In college he set records and was ultimately invited to play professional golf which he dabbled in on and off during his early twenties.
Cavin’s dad set steep professional expectations for him immediately after college and often encouraged him to quit playing golf in hopes of making it big when a lucrative career awaited him in the family business.“Use golf to help the business make more money,” his dad often suggested as the two encountered countless arguments over the topic.“Even when you win these amateur tournaments, you only make chump change compared to what you can make for our family in real estate development.”Eventually Cavin caved in to his dad’s relentless pressure and even went some time without playing golf at all.
As the golfers climbed into their respective carts, all of them were still talking about Cavin’s drive.He doubted most of them had ever seen a ball driven that far in person unless they attended a professional event.The others were hitting their third or fourth shots on the hole when they reached Cavin’s ball, and his second swing landed him within a few feet of the flag.A few minutes later, he sank the putt on a par five.
The guys encouraged him to frame that ball, and Cavin knew they would talk about how dominantly he played this hole the rest of the round and beyond.When he and Walt settled into their cart, the conversation about the businesses struggling in downtown revived.Walt didn’t offer any numbers, but as the day wore on and Walt lost count of how many beverages Cavin bought him, he provided more information than Cavin could have dreamed.
By hole eighteen, Walt confirmed what Levi and Laney shared with Cavin in secret this morning, confessing his intention to buy Noel’s building once she had no other option.This man, who spoke kind words about Noel earlier, revealed how he wanted to take advantage of her devotion to her family’s business.“My family has owned the adjacent building for ages,” Walt explained.
As Cavin received this information, he steadied his poker face, realizing his golf teammate had just become his business opponent.
16
