The word of God is felt nearby, more than being seen or heard. At this one area on Pacific Highway South, Jerry Ortega and his followers don’t actually follow the teachings of the Lord but somehow, they seem to protect those who do believe.
Jerry Ortega had stayed alive in both Afghanistan and the Pacific Northwest for years. When he saw that America was leaving Afghanistan, he made sure that he was at the top of the list to return stateside.
Normally, he would have returned to his home ground of Texas, but he liked the nearness of Tacoma to Fort Lewis, where he had been stationed numerous times. Each time he had visited the Tacoma area, he made friends with those who believed in both God and country, as well as dollar bills.
Jerry never threatened anyone . . . no, really. He just laid out deals that seemed to help and protect him and his associates as well as those who believed in God . . . kinda. He wanted all whom he dealt with to end up on the right side of the stick. He knew that this was important. He wanted everyone to profit . . . even if that profit was minimal. People who profited could be relied on a second or third or even a fourth purchase. From used cars to live turkeys Jerry wanted everything to be on the up and up, with him at the highest end.
The problem facing Jerry was that he was not making as much profit today as he had been sometime before. With money on his mind, he worked his way through a WinCo grocery store and found what he was looking for. It was a Zero Calorie drink of 8 FL ounces that sold for 75 cents a bottle. He began to market them individually at a buck each plus tax, shipping and paid delivery to the local churches. He scored a buck and a quarter per bottle profit-wise. and people loved them. It was the best tasting Zero Calories Drink being sold in the current market. It also went well with vodka and whiskey . . . for those that cared.
The real magic of Jerry had been his smile and demeaner. He laughed with a Texas cowboy accent and he stood six foot seven. Almost everyone had to look up to Jerry . . . one way or another. At the right angle, Jerry seemed larger than his church. The best part of Jerry was that he always seemed nice and helpful. People just didn’t realize his smiling helpful attitude is what filled his pockets. My final advice? Never cross him.
The financial figuring to make $1.25 profit from selling a product that cost $0.75, for $1.00 is beyond me this morning. The final advice ” Never cross him” leaves me waiting for the other shoe to drop, especially after the statement “Jerry never threatened anyone…”.