It was a short and uneventful divorce back in 1989. I got nothing, and she got everything. I left the house with just my clothes and headed for Angeles City, Philippines and started an insurance business on what used to be Clark Airbase. At the dawn of the computer age, I brought with me a new brand of marketing low cost term insurance to the military. My competition was still using dinosaur methods to sell insurance to military personnel. What transpired over the next two years was incredible. The story is true. When I arrived for the first time in Manila June 1989 I was met by a Filipino friend who worked with me in Las Vegas. As I was being taken by cab to my hotel I felt a sense of ease as I notice most everything posted in English. I did notice too how poor people looked and lived. I was in shock as beggars knocked on my window for money. The following day my friend and I caught a Victory Liner bus bound for Dau, Pampanga, Philippines. I remember that ride and how scarred I really was when the bus driver was passing vehicles on the right shoulder with just inches to spare. In most cases if he made a mistake the bus would have rolled down a steep embankment. By the time we got to Dau, I was floating up to my neck and needed a relieve myself. I thought surly there has to be a men's room when we get off somewhere. I noticed all the guys just going off into a vacant field and letting go. I had no choice, I had to do the same. The only problem I had with that was I felt all eyes were on me. It was a relief to me when I checked in at the Oasis Hotel. I was intrigued when I passed by on the way to the hotel a competitor's office and I just had to visit after I checked in the hotel. Once we checked in, it did not take me long to take a walk around to check out my new home for the next year. The first place I visited was my competitors office. I was greeted pleasantly by a pretty young lady. I asked, how was business? Oh, very good sir, she replied. How many agents do you have working for you, I asked. We have 20 sir. Where is the boss? He is out with one of our agents. OK, thanks, I appreciate your help. I could see they did have a thriving business going and well established, but they had no idea what I was bringing to the table. I walked around some more and noticed how many old middle aged men were sitting around in these sidewalk caf's drinking beer and talking to all these young girls that were around. I began to realize that most of these old men were here for the booze and the women. I then found out later that most of them were insurance agents. It was obvious that my competition was there just to have a good time and were not serious about making any money. They only wanted enough to pay for the women and the booze. While I was making this walk, I started to here the "Hey Joe" word. This time they were coming from sexy young ladies standing in front of all these bars on Fields Avenue. They were there to entice the men to come inside the bars. I knew I did not want to fall into this trap. I resisted the temptation and called it a day. "To be continued" |
