The Martin Effect

Happy Saturday my friends.

In many ways size does not matter. Depending on the place and the situation it really doesn't. You might be told otherwise if alone with a person who has dibs on you. Under the guise of a city and the size of it's population, Dallas might be the #5 market in size. You'd be amazed how well connected and close knit a community it happens to be.

My theory for that is being at the same events most of the time. A commonality of sporting events or events that happen along the time frame of a calendar year. There's always the word of mouth factor. Then again if you are in the public eye as a servant (choose your occupational hazard here) suffice to say that word gets around about one's whereabouts.

There are so many people who have crossed my path in the past three years that happen to recognize me from my work or from Facebook. It is rare when I get to turn that table and recognize someone by name in the same vein.

Friday night was a birthday for Daren Martin. I knew of Daren for close to a year by way of another person of the same name (Get well Melinda!). It was about two months ago I got to meet Daren Martin for the first time.

Being a avid believer in following your instincts, I knew this was a decent individual. I was correct and received further confirmation from friends of mine.

There is something to be said about the ability to market an event and have a great turnout. What's the running joke about how many people appearing at your funeral? Show me how many friends you have on a given birth date.

A great turnout to watch Daren's son perform at the Coffee House (I hadn't arrived yet). At 8:15 pm the Absinthe Lounge in the South Side was a ghost town. By 8:30 you'd think there was a convention about to go down.

Great to see a bunch of familiar faces and some new ones. (Note to the Aquarian-Alejandro is your guy!) This was my first time out after a three week battle with the strep crud that went around. Being around people was a welcome rejoinder for the Master.

The true measure of a man is what is said in his presence and away from his presence. Buffeted by girlfriend Melissa it was great to see Daren enjoy his evening. The Lounge was getting busier and then came 10pm...

Change of scenery and a run to the Ritz. Cigar in hand, I was content to make small talk with an attractive single mother of three who said little yet drew a crowd. I was content to people watch. People who are new to Dallas, if you learn the art of conversation and asking the right questions there is an endless pool of resourcing and networking at your fingerprints. 

Now in my tenth year in North Texas I have been graced with a veritable plethora of individuals who possess an indomitable spirit of renegade. A flair for the entrepreneurial with some sass and attitude mercurial. When you pose the right questions a helping hand awaits the wise person.

The very first thing you notice as you walk around. Same name notwithstanding, it was great to see another person of the same name enjoying a birthday. And hell you'll never tire of the view of attractive women! This is Dallas need I remind you?

I enjoyed my cigars fervently...

Happy Birthday Daren! My instincts were correct.

Over and out in Big D.

Mr. Will