I had used the first ninety bucks to buy the camera, film, and chemicals, even though they had not
as yet arrived. I thought I might just use the second ninety to buy a scooter to motorize my bike. I had no immediate plans, so I renewed my search of Criag's List for an electric scooter or electric bike.

I found a nonworking 500watt scooter on Craig's list for 50 bucks. From the Internet I found that the scooter was simple to deconstruct and repair. It would probably be worth that, but if the owner hadn't sold it, I might get it a little cheaper. I made arrangements to see the scooter the next day after the owner came home from work.

"So, would you take $40?" I asked as I looked at the dust covered hunk of steel and plastic. He surely wouldn't have made a deal, if he knew that I had driven 30 miles to buy the scooter. I was going home with it deal, or no deal.

"Yeah, I guess I could do that. I want it out of my garage." the man in the business suit said. He obviously was one of those guys who came home from work and kept his suit on till bedtime. I would have been in jeans and a cut off sweat shirt within ten minutes of hitting the door. I realized that he was serious, he just wanted it gone period.

I loaded the scooter into the trunk of my car without any help from the man in the suit. It didn't matter that I scratched the bumper of my ten year old car. It had plenty of other scratches on it. I felt right pleased with myself on the drive home.

I had enough tarp covering the lawn mower so that I could cut off a bit to cover the scooter until I could work on it the next day. I slipped it under the deck. The bicycle sat in my bedroom along with way too many other things. The three small rooms were quickly getting over filled.

I had a thought once I was inside the house. Molly's school term would be over soon. It might be over any day as a matter of fact since they were planning an end of term part. If she decided to move I would have to decide what to do with the space.

I mean I enjoyed the extra rent money, but I also needed more space. I went onto the net to do research. Yes even that small a decision got researched. The best advice I could find was to evaluate the kind of space I needed. Would it be a better investment to build a storage shed in the back of the lot or kick Molly out. Not really kick her out just not rent the unit after she left.

It wasn't the most economical solution, but it was the easiest and fastest. I decided to buy a pre built storage building which could be trucked in. Once on the ground, and leveled, it would be as good as anything I could build, probably better. I went through my business card file till I found the card for Smith and Son Storage Solutions.

"Monk, this is John Abba."I said to the man who answered the phone.

"This Sam, my dad isn't around much any more."

"Ah, I knew your dad back in the day. I just called to get a price on a storage building for my lawnmower and bicycle that kind of thing."

"You looking for one of the little mini barn things?" I could tell he was all excited. It must have been the most expensive building made.

"No, I was thinking one of those unfinished, small, metal army Quonset hut kind of things." I said. I knew his heart sank. That was probably one of the cheaper if not the cheapest of all designs. It was no more than a few metal rods bent in a half moon configuration to form the walls and roof in one continuous run of metal sheets. The ends were usually no more than a few pieces of barn metal sheets, The whole thing could likely be done in a couple of hours. It was more like a giant, inverted, round bottomed, metal loaf pan than anything else

"So how big are we talking about?" He asked.

"What are your standard sizes and prices?" I asked. he wasn't going to get me on some custom size sure charge.

"I guess the 8x8 is the most popular yard size or maybe the 8x10 or even 10x12."

"What kind of prices are you talking about?"

"8x8 with local setup and delivery is 699 plus tax. The 8x10 is 899 and the 10x12 is 1099 plus tax and out of town delivery is more."

"I'm in town. If I decide to go with you when can you do it?"

"I need about three days to schedule it and do the setup of it."

"Let me make a few calls, and I'll get back to you."

"The only thing cheaper is a big plastic box, but you make your calls." He didn't seem happy that I was going to call around. I probably wouldn't have if his dad had given me the same prices. I knew part of it was his being younger and unknown to me.

"Thanks I will." I said just as short and nasty as I could.

I made a few calls around town and found that he was pretty much right. All those building were about the same price. Most of them wanted to erect them on site from some kind of kit thing. His price wasn't the absolute lowest but it was right down there.

I got the steel gauge from the other two lowest ones and then called him. His steel was even thinner than the others. I decided that I would give the job to someone else. I didn't owe the kid anything. His dad was the one I knew. Even then I would have tried to beat his dad down to a price to match the other guys.

I almost made the deal with a guy a few blocks from Smith, when I made one last call to a local home and garden store. The store wasn't even one of the chains. He was just a guy who had been in business even before I came to town. I had his number in my shoe box of business cards, why I had no idea.

"Sorry Mr. Abba, but my dad retired. I don't know if you remember me, but I'm Mike, You kept me out of jail once. I got in some stupid kid fight on Main Street. You talked the officer into calling my dad instead of arresting me."

"Oh, that had to have been a long time ago." Actually it was how his dad's card got into my box.

"So what can I do for you?" he asked.

"To be honest, I'm looking for a storage building of some kind for my backyard. Something to put a lawn mower and bicycle inside. I was thinking about one of those cheap metal Quonset hut type storage buildings."

"How big do you need?"

"Big enough for a lawnmower, a gas can, my bike and a tool box maybe."

"How about 8x10 you think that would be big enough.

"Sure but how much?" I asked.

"Well I have an 8x10 fiberglass shell out back. It's really just a big ole half pipe. It does come with three hurricane straps. I have mine staked down to keep the wind from blowing them away. I use them to store chemicals and stuff. It's open on both ends and we use a plastic tarp over the ends. The tarp is good for four or five years. You could build ends of some kind I'm sure."

"Could you spare one?" My mind was working at full speed. I wasn't quite sure how I would use it, but it sounded like something different enough for me to like.

"Sure I have a half dozen I have never used. Tell me where you live and I'll have the delivery guy drop it off tomorrow."

"You never did say how much." I wanted to know before I agreed.

"Mr. Abba, I don't even know what I paid for them. Would $200 be too much?"

"Hell no, I'll give your driver cash," I said.

"Good enough," Mike said ringing off.