http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/bal-md.olesker08mar08,1,76004.column?coll=bal-local-columnists
On Apr 7, 2005 3:29 PM, Tony Weeg <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > where did you find that howie? > > tw > > On Apr 7, 2005 3:26 PM, Tony Weeg <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > OHH MY EFFIN GOD!!! > > > > thats a friend of mine... i did his website like 7 years ago... > > > > he is a RIOT, one of the FUNNIEST HUMANS ive met. > > > > HAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!!!!!! > > > > ill have to call him today!!!! > > > > :) tw > > > > On Apr 7, 2005 2:58 PM, Howie Hamlin <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > PUT YOURSELF in Mike Bolesta's place. On the morning of Feb. 20, he > buys a new radio-CD player for his 17-year-old son Christopher's car. He > pays the $114 installation charge with 57 crisp new $2 bills, which, when > last observed, were still considered legitimate currency in the United > States proper. The $2 bills are Bolesta's idea of payment, and his little > comic protest, too. > > > > > > For this, Bolesta, Baltimore County resident, innocent citizen, owner > of Capital City Student Tours, finds himself under arrest. > > > > > > Finds himself, in front of a store full of customers at the Best Buy > on York Road in Lutherville, locked into handcuffs and leg irons. > > > > > > Finds himself transported to the Baltimore County lockup in > Cockeysville, where he's handcuffed to a pole for three hours while the > U.S. Secret Service is called into the case. > > > > > > Have a nice day, Mike. > > > > > > "Humiliating," the 57-year old Bolesta was saying now. "I am 6 feet 5 > inches tall, and I felt like 8 inches high. To be handcuffed, to have all > those people looking on, to be cuffed to a pole -- and to know you haven't > done anything wrong. And me, with a brother, Joe, who spent 33 years on the > city police force. It was humiliating." > > > > > > What we have here, besides humiliation, is a sense of caution > resulting in screw-ups all around. > > > > > > "When I bought the stereo player," Bolesta explains, "the technician > said it'd fit perfectly into my son's dashboard. But it didn't. So they > called back and said they had another model that would fit perfectly, and it > was cheaper. We got a $67 refund, which was fine. As long as it fit, that's > all. > > > > > > "So we go back and pay for it, and they tell us to go around front > with our receipt and pick up the difference in the cost. I ask about > installation charges. They said, 'No installation charge, because of the > mix-up. Our mistake, no charge.' Swell. > > > > > > "But then, the next day, I get a call at home. They're telling me, 'If > you don't come in and pay the installation fee, we're calling the police.' > Jeez, where did we go from them admitting a mistake to suddenly calling the > police? So I say, 'Fine, I'll be in tomorrow.' But, overnight, I'm starting > to steam a little. It's not the money -- it's the threat. So I thought, I'll > count out a few $2 bills." > > > > > > He has lots and lots of them. > > > > > > With his Capital City Student Tours, he arranges class trips for > school kids around the country traveling to large East Coast cities, > including Baltimore. He's been doing this for the last 18 years. He makes > all the arrangements: hotels, meals, entertainment. And it's part of his > schtick that, when Bolesta hands out meal money to students, he does it in > $2 bills, which he picks up from his regular bank, Sun Trust. > > > > > > "The kids don't see that many $2 bills, so they think this is the > greatest thing in the world," Bolesta says. "They don't want to spend 'em. > They want to save 'em. I've been doing this since I started the company. So > I'm thinking, 'I'll stage my little comic protest. I'll pay the $114 with $2 > bills.'" > > > > > > At Best Buy, they may have perceived the protest -- but did not sense > the comic aspect of 57 $2 bills. > > > > > > "I'm just here to pay the bill," Bolesta says he told a cashier. "She > looked at the $2 bills and told me, 'I don't have to take these if I don't > want to.' I said, 'If you don't, I'm leaving. I've tried to pay my bill > twice. You don't want these bills, you can sue me.' So she took the money. > Like she's doing me a favor." > > > > > > He remembers the cashier marking each bill with a pen. Then other > store personnel began to gather, a few of them asking, "Are these real?" > > > > > > "Of course they are," Bolesta said. "They're legal tender." > > > > > > A Best Buy manager refused comment last week. But, according to a > Baltimore County police arrest report, suspicions were roused when an > employee noticed some smearing of ink. So the cops were called in. One > officer noticed the bills ran in sequential order. > > > > > > "I told them, 'I'm a tour operator. I've got thousands of these bills. > I get them from my bank. You got a problem, call the bank,'" Bolesta says. > "I'm sitting there in a chair. The store's full of people watching this. All > of a sudden, he's standing me up and handcuffing me behind my back, telling > me, 'We have to do this until we get it straightened out.' > > > > > > "Meanwhile, everybody's looking at me. I've lived here 18 years. I'm > hoping my kids don't walk in and see this. And I'm saying, 'I can't believe > you're doing this. I'm paying with legal American money.'" > > > > > > Bolesta was then taken to the county police lockup in Cockeysville, > where he sat handcuffed to a pole and in leg irons while the Secret Service > was called in. > > > > > > "At this point," he says, "I'm a mass murderer." > > > > > > Finally, Secret Service agent Leigh Turner arrived, examined the bills > and said they were legitimate, adding, according to the police report, > "Sometimes ink on money can smear." > > > > > > This will be important news to all concerned. > > > > > > For Baltimore County police, said spokesman Bill Toohey, "It's a sign > that we're all a little nervous in the post-9/11 world." > > > > > > The other day, one of Bolesta's sons needed a few bucks. Bolesta > pulled out his wallet and "whipped out a couple of $2 bills. But my son > turned away. He said he doesn't want 'em any more." > > > > > > He's seen where such money can lead. > > > > > > > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Purchase Homesite Plus with Dreamweaver from House of Fusion, a Macromedia Authorized Affiliate and support the CF community. http://www.houseoffusion.com/banners/view.cfm?bannerid=55 Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:5:153095 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/5 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:5 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=89.70.5 Donations & Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
