Bellied Up - How To Get A Raise 💵 #76

Episode Date: November 22, 2023

In this episode, we're at Duffy's in Fargo, ND. The first caller works at a small business and is wondering how he should go about asking for a raise. The next caller is dealing with a ton of family drama involving his grandpa, and the last caller is having problems with the alleyway in his neighborhood. Get yourself a ⁠⁠⁠⁠"Road Huntin For Ditch Chickens"⁠⁠⁠⁠ Hat Want us to come to your bar for a Bellied Up episode? Click ⁠⁠⁠Here

Hi folks, here we are today. It's a new episode of the Belly Up podcast. Yep, we're here in Fargo at Duffy's tavern. Duffy's tavern is a nice bar. If you guys are in Fargo, you want to come down here. You want to get a good look at some wood on the walls. I believe it's the first original Irish bar here in Fargo. It's what I heard.

You know, Miles, I think I heard that too. I do. It's great vibes in here though. What on the walls? Little U-shaped bar in the middle. Yeah. Can't ask for much more. No, they don't make them like this much anymore, Miles.

No, they don't. Tell you that. Bathroom's nice and small. Yeah. Three stalls. That's the squeezed in there. To get to the urinal, I had to turn sideways to get to it, which is always what you're looking for at a small town bar. That is exactly it. That is exactly it. They upgraded from the trough here to the three stall deal. No, I'm just assuming that at some some point they didn't have a trough.

Yeah. Oh, yeah. We're a bird bath. You ever see that? Just a bird bath in the bathroom. I have it, but I don't know if I want to or not, but all you do. Is that just everyone then circles around it? Yeah, it's a sight to behold.

And then someone has got to stay up though. I stay up. Well, not here's a thing though. You don't want to pee on the fellow across from you So your eyes have to go down initially to get that in there. No longer than a half second down Okay, anything longer is gets a little weird. Yeah, you know, yeah Birds don't typically like to bathe in those no's after that. Yeah The kinky ones do I was gonna leave that those. No, after that. Yeah. Hey, the Kiki ones too. I was just going to leave that.

Welcome back guys to the Belly. Dot podcast. Golden Finches like to be Charlie, what was your mother thinking this conversation? I don't know. Do one of these right? Yeah. My mom doesn't listen to this conversation. I don't know, my mom. Do one of these. Right back of the house.

My mom doesn't listen to this podcast. You're busy. She's too busy working for you. Yeah, she does a great job. By the way, my mom, guess what? I got a musical album out today. What? Yeah, I'm straight up plugging right away.

I'm coming out plugging, dude. What is it? It's called dive bar dinner. It's a new musical album that I came out with. It's out today. You can purchase it on the internet. Give me a sample right here right now. My voice is a little rough right now,

so I'm gonna pass on that. Oh, we'll just auto tune you. No, I'm not gonna do that. I'm not gonna do that. Not on this podcast, because I tune you. No, I'm not going to do that. I'm not going to do that. Not on this podcast because I know you guys are going to do some funny things in the edits here. You get. Come on. Let's hear it. No. No. What's your favorite song in the album? What's my favorite song on the album? There is a song called Keeper Moving. Let's hear it. No, I'm not going to do it. I'm not going to do it. I was as much teased as you're going to

get you got to go streaming on Spotify. Because I'm not in the right voice, you know, and who sticks in here are not ideal. No, I'm just I'm having a sore throat for a deal. Yeah. I haven't asked her for a month. I just got it. Actually, since I saw you yesterday, it came up. I woke up scratching, uh, scratching my throat. I mean, you were on a rip and rural last night. I was. I tell you that much. So Charlie, tomorrow is Thanksgiving. And I, my eyes, I am thankful for you. I'm thankful that you can just say for you, Charlie.

I'm thankful for you as well, Charlie. Um, what's favorite dish at Thanksgiving? I am a really big fan of the cranberry sauce and I like the cornbread. I like cranberry sauce on cornbread. Really? You've never tried that. I'm about to try it.

I have to come on down to the Charlie Barren's Thanksgiving. You host in this year? No, for sure. No. Yeah, I don't host. I go over to my mom and my dad's and I usually say I'm going to bring something and then I do not bring it. Just say, ah, they were all out. Yeah, I just, I bring over a bottle of booze. There you go. Or, you know, what my signature move is, is I say, I'm going to bring the wine because all year round, if I get wine, I don't drink wine. So that's when I re-gift my wine every year Thanksgiving and Christmas. I keep it in a special place. Are you getting a lot of

gifts that are wine? I do get a pair of months wine. It's a very nice gift. Like what, for what occasion are you getting? Cause I don't get any wine ever as gifts. Well, miles, I see that doesn't surprise me. Why? No, it just doesn't surprise me. Okay. But why you just don't seem like a guy that would get wine, you know, you have to be a certain caliber of, uh, like are you inviting people over to your place? Yeah, bottle wine. Yeah, I, you know what I'm gonna say. I don't even know. It just shows up. Okay.

Yeah. All right. My, my favorite dish, thanks for asking Charlie. Is the gravy? Did I not ask him? Jared? Oh, I must not have cared the gravy. Put it on anything.

I'll put it on the cornbread. I'll put it on the cranberry. I'll put it on the turkey. I'll put it on the mashed potatoes. I'll put it on the corn. I'll put it on the left. So I'll put it on it all. Wait. Do you put it on the cornbread, I'll put it on the cranberry, I'll put it on the turkey, I'll put it on the mashed potatoes, I'll put it on the corn, I'll put it on the left, I'll put it on it all. Wait, do you put it on the fries? Fries. Yeah.

I don't, we don't have fries. Well, you just said you put it on anything. Oh, oh, I thought we were talking Thanksgiving. Well, does anything go? I don't drink gravy the rest of the year. I mean, eat gravy. Do you like poutine? Yeah, it's fine. But I like I thanksgiving is when I just go all out. So you're not a gravy guy. Any other. I mean, I will.

I just don't ever do it. Yeah. It's not often around gravy. Yeah. You got to be in it's got to be made right to, you know, what what are the ingredients of gravy? Do you know I think it's a lot of the juices from the turkey. There's there's like these cube things. I don't yeah, I don't know what they're called. It's a whole concoct my dad makes it so no is the answer. No, I don't know how to make it. But anyways, Charlie, happy Thanksgiving, happy Thanksgiving. All of the listeners out there. Yes, we are very thankful for all of you listening to the Belly Up podcast. You are the reason we are sitting in this bar drinking on this particular day today. So thanks, guys. And should we do some college sure sure hello welcome to the

Belly to podcast who is on the line with us today hello this is Hayden hey Hayden where you calling in from guy well fell off I'm calling in from Logan Utah on the campus of Utah State University. Ah, Utah State, okay. What are you calling in for? What's on your mind? Well, you see, I'm working at a place I've been for about a year. And solely would just like to see what you guys think about how I could get a raise. Ooh, you want to get a raise. You've been working there a year, you say? I've been working there almost exactly a year. Okay, it's about that time.

Okay. My gosh. And it was about that time, isn't it? I suppose. But what do you do? And do you actually deserve a raise? That's those are the two questions of the top. First of all, Hell yeah, I deserve a race. Technically, why? What have you been doing? Here we go.

Here we go. That'll down my mouth. I'm going to tell you here. You know what you mean? Are you going to take that same attitude with your boss, too, when he says that? Haven't, haven't known. I would love it if you did, though.

Settle down, Jack. I just set up a hidden camera in Senator you guys reaction. Anyways, what I do for work is I work at an anadizing lab and many people don't know what that is. I don't know. I don't know if you guys would not not any knock on you guys, but nobody has,

no one would have done it in the past year. So basically what it is, is we get aluminum kind of parts and we run them through various different chemical baths and they can come out different colors like black. The part can be clear, even like red or blues, just not that common. What this does to the part is it strengthens it

and kind of weather proofs it. So these parts go into all sorts of different things like gun parts, racing parts, stuff for weather, commercial material. Really anything you want, it's called anodized, whatever you want anodized can be run through this. So what I do over the last few months is I'm a senior here at Utah State, so I'm studying human biology, and I check all the different chemical baths, make sure they're all in line. So if nobody checks the chemical bath, then the chemicals are out of whack, and the products don't come out as good.

And then you have to redo them in a nutshell. Does that make any sense? So the whole business hinges upon your skill set, your unique set of skills is kind of what you're telling us here. I don't think it would, I don't think per se it would hinge on me, but because everyone else can do it, but no one else likes to do it.

That's kind of where I have the. Oh, that's for hand goods. That's not a good start. What do you mean? You sound very, very, very replaceable to me. And last thing I need is someone who's replaceable asking for a raise. You know what I mean? So we got to work on this. This is a good starting point.

We got to go. Okay. Okay, hear me out there. So then what I do, yeah, no one likes to do the anodized, the chemical bath. I'm also outside and there's a siren right now. You guys can hear that. Is the building on fire? Yeah, you go out the exit. What the hell are you doing? Emergency exit. I'm sitting here outside. I just hiked up the campus and I'm out of breath. I'm going to sit down. He's talking to us.

He's supposed to be a chemical everywhere. And now the alarm is going off. One of the employees is washes. I'm in a chemical everywhere. So when my boss pulled me a while ago, that I could start doing the chemical analysis, he says, you like doing this? And I said, well, I do like doing it.

That's kind of what I've been working at in school. Also he doesn't like to do it. So I think it's a perfect win win. And he's busy doing other stuff. So this is one of my main, the main point to my job is to do this. Okay. Well, let's role-play it. Yeah of my job is to do this. Okay, well, let's roll, plan. Yeah.

Charlie, you be the boss. Okay. I want you to ask for a raise ready and go. Mm. Okay. So the thing's key. By the way, I'm key. Hey, Keith, I can talk to you.

Yeah, you're key. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah. Okay, okay. Oh, jeez. Hey, Keith, you're keep. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay. Okay. Oh, jeez. Hey, Keith, I'm sorry, just one second. I'm busy.

Okay. Can you tell them to bring my coffee in and make it hot this time? Yeah, I think they're bringing your coffee, but there was, we had some issues with the chemicals. So they're dealing with that right now. What do you mean we had issue? I just got that. I just got that kick under semester.

I'm just a messenger. I'll let you get back to what you're doing. I'll find your coffee. Okay, what? What is your name again? Hello, there's only three of us that work there. I don't, I am the boss. Don't think I don't know how many people I'm paying right now.

Okay, what's your name? I forgot. All right, boss man. My name's Hayden. Hayden. Hayden, you're the one who just scored up the chemicals. There's chemical. I don't pay it in.

Hayden, did you hear that? I don't care if you're the chemical. Did you spill the chemicals? You're not just a chemical. Were you the reason that alarm went off earlier today? Absolutely not. I was in the a cost for me. What the hell were you doing over there, Hayden?

Yeah, Keith, I don't know where this role play is going by. I just have a simple question. I do not role play. I do not role play. Do I need to get HR in here right now? I do not role play. Well, me and my wife do behind closed doors. None of your business, Hayden. Oh, no, Steve's.

This is escalated. Is that related? Did you hear that? Steve's got chemical burns in his eyes, Hayden. Why aren't you down there? We don't have Steve here. Well, we did until he fell into the chemical, that Hayden. Don't tell me he works here. Hey, boss, I have to come across a situation under control.

You got it under control. What are you and Hayden talking about? Well, we were just talking, I got to let him go. Do you want his job? Yes. Well, Hayden, that didn't go so good. Did it, pal? Yeah, that went poorly.

Yeah. Where do you think you went wrong? I don't think it was a realistic scenario. All right. We'll do it again. Straight faces this time. Okay, so I guess to set this, to set the scene a little better,

there's only three people that work there. There's myself, there's my boss Keith. Okay. There's the son's owner, Tyson. And then we just hired a new guy for Sandblasting. His name's Nathan. Gotcha. Okay.

Nobody gets all, because we don't have the capacity to carry this. So I think the first lesson here though, is you gotta make sure your boss is in a good mood. Right. That's that what we just learned. You got to read the room and pick your timing. All right. So, you want to play boss time?

No, you got it. Okay. Okay. All right, boss. Here's your coffee. Also, we just won 500 bucks on scratch off. So we'll throw some your way. Did we really? Well, that's really nice.

Yeah. I'm going to get back to work. You can talk to Hayden now. Okay. Oh, hey, Hayden. How are you? Oh, yeah, Keith. Yeah, I'm great. How are you doing today? You know, I'm, I'm blessed, Hayden. I am boy, this coffee is delicious. I just won 500 bucks and scratch off. Yeah. Yeah. We did. Well, I only won 10% but those fell as one 500. I have the best employees.

What a great day. Yeah, what a great day. Yes, we do. We just we're just working hard every day over here. You know, sure. What's, Hey, didn't have a seat or a seat? What's on your mind? Sure.

Well, Keith, I'm just going to be honest with you. I've been here for one full year and I think I do a lot more. Have you been here for a year already? Yes, I have. Okay. You guys have put me last October. Just over here. I think with. Are you racing over here? I have more. What's that? Sorry, I just thought you were getting a little frustrated there. Was I cutting you off? Oh, I mean, just, no, it's okay.

It's okay. Are you sure it's okay? But what I was saying is we, who cut you off in your life before me, Hayden? Wait, can I, can I get through this, this point, okay, yes, yes, Hayden, of course. Okay, so, so I've been here a year, and I, I feel like I'm very comfortable in the job, and I have, along with the, the school said that we,

we talked about when I got hired, I also have the, just a set of analyzing the chemical baths and making sure all those are in line so that when we run the parts through the different baths, then they come out looking good and we don't have any problems. So I guess what I'm asking is, with all these responsibilities, I think, and with the time I've been here, I think it would be in our best interest that I can get a little bit of a raise, maybe two to three dollars. Hey, hey, and I'm going to be honest with you, you were doing pretty good there until you

went to the, I know, our best interest. I know. I'm always, what do you work on now? I'm handing a raise. Yeah, you're like, man, explaining the raise process to probably, you know, what is this? A old old white guy. You know, he's like, he's he's probably not even 40. He's not.

Well, he's a young guy. Well, first of all, do not, but no, when, when, when I was going through that, I did feel like I was doing pretty good. And then I hit that line and I was like, oh, they're going to blame me. So I think I think the workshop workshop it. I think lesson number two is get to the point. The longer that you fill a buster around and dance and around it, the more words you say, the dumber that it sounds.

Yeah. And then you find yourself in a situation where you're now holding the boss hostage and demanding arrays. Yeah. So I think you just got walked right in and I don't I don't want it. Okay. Yeah. He knows he really want to beat around the bush too much. Yeah. He knows what you're saying. As soon as you pretty much walk in the door and start yammering. He knows where this is going. So I, and I, and I don't mean yammering in a disrespectful way, but you know, when you kind of like kind of building it up a little, you're like, hey, you know,

it's all the work you've been doing. Yeah, you're like, hey, I've been here for a year. I was carrying through. There is an opportunity for a raise coming up or if I should just go F myself. And then you always got to have the get out of free card in your back pocket. Here's what it is.

Why is it? And he's like, you know what actually, if you ask for the raise, he's like, you know, it's been a little tightly this and that. And I just, I don't know if it's in the budget right now. Then you say, that's fine, Keith, I understand. I guess I'm just gonna have to take my talents to the other company.

Then, and I guess you're gonna have to work later on Thursdays and set a go to your poker night. Damn. That's true, damn. That can always work. Yeah, I see what you're saying. Make it short and sweet and really to the point there. But then you do need to be prepared to actually quit your job.

Yeah, so maybe that's not the best way. Hey, then, can I ask how much you make an hour? Yeah, so when I started, I originally pitched 18 an hour, and they said, we can do 16. And I said, OK, that's that's reasonable like starting on and I didn't have all the I wasn't doing everything now that I was then so I thought 16 to sign So the other guy who got hired Sorry, so I'm still making 16 first of all, okay, and then the other guy that I talked about I

Know at one point he was making 18, but I saw one of his piece of, and he's making 20 now. So that's why I feel like, if he gets one, I can also get one. Hayden, Hayden, we're gonna back up this story truck here, Pal, and ask, how did you see his pay stuff? Yeah, what are you doing?

Yeah, because it's printed out. So sometimes he'll leave it on the counter. Oh, but it's just fitting there. I'm not I'm not sleeping on file. Like on the computer. What do they call that? Where you just discover evidence without even trying or something?

Remember what that's called. Yeah, that's exactly what it was. Because my face still looks exact in is obviously without my name and how long is this person been working there though? Let's get paid 20 an hour. He's been working there only a few months longer than I have because the business started last August, last September. So he's been there since day one, but relatively about the same time as myself. I mean, you're getting screwed. Yeah, I hate a new R, but you know what? I think that,

yeah, the squeaky squeaky wheels getting the extra $4 an hour here. So what are you gonna ask for? How much you gonna ask for when he says, well, how much do you want? Well, I'm like 18, maybe 19. I don't feel like, because I'm part time, because I'm a student.

So I don't feel like I deserve a full 20, like the other guy does, because he does all the time. I think that's realistic. So about 18, 19. I mean, I think that's realistic. So about 18, 19. I mean, I think that sounds fine. Yeah, honestly, I think you go 21, I'm gonna walk you back down to 20.

Yeah. You can always come down, maybe start like 28. And then just, you know, That's true. And then he's gonna counter with $7. Just an outright $10 increase. And then you're gonna counter with 27. And he's going to counter with 18 and then you're going to counter with 26 and then you'll just fold that 19.

Then he'll feel like he got the other group. Yeah, you want him leaving feeling like he's getting a coupon of a worker here. What kind of a guy is you like didn't I? Yeah, what kind of guy is your boss though? I think that also like is he like, didn't I? Yeah, what kind of guy is your boss though? I think that also like, is he like, I see a people pleaser, is he a hard ass? Does he like talk to you?

Does he kind of ignore you? What kind of a guy is he? No, so the lab that we're in, it's like a small warehouse. We're not in close proximity all day, but whenever I see him first in the morning, I worked this morning, seven to nine thirty. They'll always say hi to me, beginning of the morning.

I wouldn't say he's a people pleaser, but he is very easy to get along with. The only times I've seen him not upset or angry, but the times I've seen him correct me, I guess, in a certain way is, yeah, when the first few months I was working there, I was just making some first learning. Well, I think, no, he's a real easy going fella. Yeah, I think you're maybe overthinking it.

I think you just walk in there, get straight to the point, make sure he's in's in a good mood and then just make your ask and, uh, let Jesus take the wheel after that. What do you think, Charlie? I think that that sounds pretty good, but go over what you want because he's going to walk you down, whatever you say, especially since you have a history of that. You said 18, he walked you down to 16. If he accepts your offer right away, and you didn't ask for, for enough, you want him to say, well, I can't do that, but I can do blank. Yeah. So go over what that other fellow is asking. Okay. That's good. That's good to know. Yeah, because like I'm not I'm not the backbone of the facility, but yeah, I am really the only one that checks these

chemicals two times a week. Fixing about two hours to do it too. So it's a lengthy process. Two hours a week. A week that is four hours a week. No, four hours a week, two times a day. I checked them Monday and on Thursday. Hey, Dan, don't bring that into your argument. Okay.

Tim Ferris on our hands, a four hour work. Don't worry, don't worry. Well, man, while we appreciate you calling it, good luck on your ask. Let us know if you got the razor not. You guys are the best. I want you to know that God speed and watch out for deer. All right. Hey, then we'll see you now. He's not going to keep it short and sweet, Charlie. No, he is he is going to dance around it. He's going to go in with the nerves. And you could tell when I was roleplaying with him, he was getting frustrated.

He was. He was like, he's like, can I just finish? I was like, dude, you will not talk to your boss. You got to be in. Yeah, I don't want to say, but I think finish? I was like, dude, you will not talk to your boss. You got to be in. Yeah. I don't want to say, but I think you got rattled. I did. I got into his knowledge. But now when he goes in, it'll be easy because, you know, we made a hard on him in practice. I hope so, because you practice how you play, you know?

That's right. And I really do miles. I want to say I just really appreciate the way you built the world for us. But with the chemical spell and the background and everything that was really helpful. You're welcome. Yeah, thank you. Should we take another call? Let's do it.

Welcome to the Belly and a podcast that we talking to. Hey guys, you're talking to Elijah. What's going on guys? Elijah? Yes, sir. Elijah, where are you calling in from my guy? I'm calling in from the great Grandville, New York. Now, before I hear some booze, I am a Midwesterner at heart. I was born and raised in Southwest Missouri. Okay, Southwest Missouri. Then borderline though.

Miles, it's the rec room of the Midwest. It's the rec room down there in the basement. Okay, it's just as important as the living room. Well, you know what? I got to say we did take the champion, like, meth capital of the world there in Springfield. So we got some stuff going there for us. That was years ago though.

So about the bottle now. That's the big one. Well, congratulations. Why don't you belly up to the bar, Elijah? Tell us, it's Elijah, right? I got there right now. It is, it is. Elijah, belly on up to the bar.

Tell us what's on your mind, fella. Take a load off. So Christmas is coming up and I've gotten two calls so far. One from my mom, one from my grandpa. Now, my grandmother passed away two years ago. And my grandpa, you know, he was there by her bedside. Obviously, he loved the lady. So he decides after her death to go into one of those assisted living. Oh, he met a, oh, there, a nice old lady, her name's Helen. And so they decided like the whole

assisted living really like those two to click. They're the greatest buddies, right? So they talked them both into they trick them one of them told my grandpa oh Helen's moving out she's thinking of getting her own place you know they're told Helen oh normal's moving out I think it a getting his own place so they both talk to each other and got like a place together like a little duplex oh they're moving in together, huh? Fighters to all over for Christmas. And she still thinks Helen and grandpa are coming out.

But my grandfather brought me and he said, Elijah, you got back it up a bit. You cut out there. So after the so they're dating is what you're saying. They, you know what? They're friends, they're pretty much dating. Yeah. Do you think that they're bumping ugly? Is there no? You know what? I'm going to tell you now because my grandpa can't even get down the stairs, but I mean, for the sake of just torturing my mother to death, I've always said, I think, I think they're bumping. I think they're bumping. All right. So scenario is grandma dies. Sorry about that by the way. Grandpa assisted living. Meant's a nice old lady. Then now he's moved in with

her. Yeah. They've invited you over for Christmas and your mom's not happy with it. So she's so she doesn't know they're coming. My grandpa called me and he said, what we want to do big theater, lodge and grandson, but he said, your mother really doesn't like how and he's like, I don't know. He's so oblivious. He's like, I don't know why she's so nasty to her. And I'm like, you know, you kind of got a girlfriend after grandma. The foul, the foul is to death. Yeah. Do we part? So in death, I mean, he's following the rules, you know, now if this was four years ago, I could see why your mom would take issue with it. But you know, your grandpa is his own man.

And why doesn't she like Helen? Is it just the fact that she is dating your grandpa or has she said some stuff to your mom that she's upset about? So it's really just the what tech started it off. It's mostly just, you know, my mom hasn't had too much of a close relationship with my grandpa. Does she kind of want, you know how like someone's passing away so you try to get as much closure or talk?

It's almost like a lot of his time. It's never like my mom and my grandpa. It's always my mom, grandpa, and Helen, and she doesn't want Helen around. Now, what kick started it off, one day Helen got a nice little ring on her left hand if you know what I mean. All right.

So my grandpa said, yeah, my grandpa said, yeah, my grandpa said, oh, it's from an admirer, whatever, get this. My mom pretty much drugged my grandpa to the bank to get bank statements because she's also on his bank account. He signed it over to her to make, you know, because when he passes, it'll go to her. So she went ballistic and drug into the bank to see if he actually bought her that ring or not. They're not really married. It was just a cute thing, but that's crazy, right? So wait, he bought her the ring and your mom lost her ship. posture shit. Pretty much because it was just, it was like, I think that was kind of

the final straw where my mom was like, that's it. You can have a friend, but now we're buying rings and everything. She's not ready for a new mom, I think. She's hurt. She's feeling her feelings, you know, I mean, I don't know that she's right, but, uh, you know, I don't know that your grandpa's wrong either. So this is a mess. So how do you think Christmas is going to go? It's a movie is what this is. How is Christmas going to go?

So they're just going to show up and your mom's not going to know that Helen's coming. So yeah, pretty much. Well, no, my grandpa, my mom still thinks Helen and Grandpa are coming for the whole week. We're staying at big theater for a whole week. Now, she doesn't, she doesn't know that. She don't know that at all. She still thinks Grandpa and Helen are coming out for a week, but grandpa said they're only showing up for a day. And then they're leaving because Oh, I am hanging out. Yeah. Oh, I gotta go see Helen's family. Yeah. Oh, God.

Yes. The plot thickens. That's what I said. I said, Helen ought to bring her own family down for vacation, because it's these little timeshairs. I said, Helen ought to bring her own family down for vacation, because it's these little timeshairs. I said, we should all just bunk rooms together, get the same little rooms back to back and just watch the fire build. We just watch it go up this way. So I mean, I always had my suspicions about like assisted living places and like nursing

homes and stuff. Yeah. I was I view it as it's just an old people dorm room and everyone is just fornicating like bunnies. They're rocking and rolling, you know, it's it's it's a blue shoe haven. Yeah. It's kind of nice assisted living. You don't even have to clean up after there's someone there to do that.

That's right. That's right. Hey, I mean, if that's what he wants to do, I say go for it. That guy deserves it. A good man. I say go for it, bud. You know what it didn't know. How long after your grandma died? Did he like,

do you suspect he started dating, Helen? I would like to say about, oh, see, that's a good question because I'm still kind of in the dark on that no one's really Said date they just mentioned that once you got into assisted living They started talking obviously. I want to tell you about six to nine months Is probably about really really Show six to nine months not six to eight not seven to ten six to nine Did, not six to eight, not seven to 10, six to nine. Did you really just do that? That was your estimation.

Yeah, because that's right. That's right. Do you think they're doing that? It's a coincidence. I don't want to think about it. That's the thing. Well, now you just got that little mental cartoon up in the dome. Sorry about it, but you brought it up.

I was, my mind was not in the gutter until you said that. So how long were your grandma and grandpa married before she passed away? Well, see, that's, that's also a good question. I know it feels like I don't know a lot about this subject, but um, you got to remember, I'm, I'm, I'm states away from, from my grandparents, so, uh, grandpa, give me a rough estimate like all this, like 30 years, 40 years, 50 years, 10 years. How old's your mom? Were they married the whole time your mom was? If I were, yeah.

Well, because it was like, um, gosh, you're hiding something. I think they got married back somewhere in like the 50s. I want to say they were married for a good 50 or 60 years. I can't grant on my grandma. So basically, I mean, that adds up. It's like when you let someone go at your company every year, they're there. You get two week severance every every 10 years. You're married to someone.

You get one month of morning and then you can get back out there and you're back in there. And who's to say, how long it should take to mourn a 50 year deal? You know, who's to say how long it should take to mourn a 50 year deal, you know, who's to say? If anything, he's probably your grandma passing away, it reminded him of our finite time here on earth. And he said, I got to get back busy because I don't have much time to be fornicating anymore. Hey, I got a question. Was he, was he living in a house with, he was living in a house with your grandma when she passed, correct?

What, what was the question? You guys are cutting out. It might be on Diana. All right, sorry. Was your grandpa living with your grandma in the house when your grandma passed? My grandfather and my grandma in the house. That's what I got.

That's what I got from your end. Oh, my gosh. Let me ask you. I'm out in the middle. I'm out in the middle or nowhere. Yeah, that it would be on your head. It would be on your head. Yeah.

Did your mom put your, did your mom encourage your grandpa to move into the retirement home? Oh, um, yeah, grandpa moved into the retirement home. Grandpa, grandma and grandpa always lived together. And then after my mom moved out like out of, uh, when she got out of high school, my grandma and grandpa, all they did was get separate bedrooms and then it was, they were never in like an old folks home or retirement home. Grandpa went into the retirement home about six months after grandma passed away and then

Helen, I think she had already been there for a little while. But in that retirement home, did your mom pressure your grandpa to go to that retirement home? She did. Who? She has no idea. She did. But now that I think it now that I think about it, I'm pretty sure my mom did. So she might be the cause of all this.

She is absolutely the cause of it. And all the anger she is putting towards your grandpa is not even intended for her or it's not intended for Helen. She is using Helen as she is basically mad at herself. And Helen is her scapegoat. There it is. Well, I want you to battle for a secto. Did you say your grandma and grandpa did not sleep in the same room? I mean, that's common. Because it's like, it's like, you

always, you always got to look at both sides, but it's like now that now that I'm kind of coming on the realization that like, yeah, my mom kind of did pressure my grandpa into the, I mean, I think they always thought, I think he even always thought about it, but the fact that she also pushed him into it, just to kind of give him some more like social, like he's a talker, just

to give him some more social, you know, able to talk to other people. That is a good question because, but I don't think my mom wants to feel that guilt. You know what I mean? She doesn't want a part of the problem. But I think it's a truth. And I think the time for her to realize the truth is that one day when your grandpa and Helen are there on Thanksgiving. I think that's it. Yeah. Because it's, man. Yeah, and I mean, I've already, I've already talked to her about half of this anyways. I mean, because like what, like what you're saying, I mean, I've, I've tried talking to my mom, but she just, then, she just, she just needs to get with my grandpa

and talk about all this. I don't think they've even talked because that's crazy that she doesn't even know that he's coming out. Like, okay, here's the plan. On Christmas, you and Helen are gonna go for a walk, you know, kind of like the high schoolers do on Thanksgiving where they go smoke weed,

saying they're going for a walk. You and Helen go maybe go for a walk and then you leave them to, and you don't come back until they've hashed it all out and are happy. Yeah, you get a flat tire somewhere. Yeah. I mean, should I do it?

Should I also do it on the day? Should I do like it like a day before two? Like just go and talk with my mom prior to? I mean, and you know what? I got a question for you guys. Should I also call her and like, because I was on the phone with her the other day, but I didn't say anything about grandpa not coming

because he asked me not to tell my mom about all that. So it's like, should I call her and give her like a heads up? Because we're about to book like a couple of rooms. Well, you know, It depends, do you want to be a narc on your grandpa or you want to stay cool with your grandpa? And then all of a sudden you got a mad mob, mad grandma. And next thing you know, it's just you and Helen sitting

on the couch wondering what the hell you ended up in this place. Yeah, the real question is, are you a rat? Yeah. Mom, I mean, geez. Yeah. It's just all, this is just about every large Midwest family. I feel like too.

It's just all, you know, anytime the holidays are around, it's never, it's never a cheerful holiday. It's all fun and games, you know, it's just drama, drama, drama, drama. Tricky dynamics, tricky dynamics. Yeah. Yeah. You know, but I do like that plan, Miles, that you had. I actually had the same idea right as you were about to say it, but I let you say it. And I do think that that'll be good. It can be a real touching healing moment, I think. Well, let's just hope you don't come back.

And you know, a felony has been committed by your mother, you know. And he lost service or you there, pal? No. Did he drop? Hello. He dropped. All right. Well, that's a minute. Folks, when you're dealing with the Midwest calling show, you know, lack of service is just part of the game we play here, but I tell you what, though, Charlie, did you see him? So he said that his grandparents were, they didn't sleep in the same room and he grazed over that. And then when I asked him again, he avoided it again.

So what I was kind of going is like, you know what, maybe, maybe it's been a while, maybe it's been a while. And when you go into a dorm room, and there's estrogen and testosterone everywhere. What is the guy supposed to do? It's in our nature. I know, I know. And you know, he is a single fella and six months is pretty short too by the way 60 years together and then six months later Wow, I think you know, I think we can just leave it at there might have been some, you know I'm not no look. There's no judgements. No, I and look at it The separate bedroom thing could just be he was saw and logs or she was, if I put myself in the mom shoes,

it would be tough right away initially to see your dad with another woman. Yes. And I also think the idea of her never really getting that father daughter time. I think that's the deeper issue. It's more so, I mean, this has probably been a issue since she was little, right? Just not enough attention from dad.

Yeah. And now it's just all boiled over. Yeah. And I love that it's coming to a head. I'm the holiday. This is a great movie. It is. This is like a Sandra Bullock movie.

Yeah. Yeah. It is. The question is, is it a romcom? I think it's a dramedi. I Would go more romcom, okay? You would go dramedi, huh? Yeah, cuz then the peak point is the grandpa's like I just lover and then What if miles? What if we wrote that movie? What if we did it we could we could that could be great. I feel like that be a fun crew You know Robert the Neural or someone like that. Yeah, hallmark. Maybe we make a hallmark

Movie that would be cool. Hey, if you guys want to be in this movie send us your head shot Yeah, we're gonna need some extras too. Yeah, we are we need some if you got grandparents volunteer We're gonna need some people for the nursing home as well We need some if you got grandparents volunteer and we're gonna need some people for the nursing home as well You just get one senile guy walking around without any pants on that be great. Where's all the black licorice? Grandpa's glove black licorice. Yeah, well Charlie miles also. Thanks for calling in by the way. Yeah, I've roughed ending but yeah good luck with your Christmas Nightmare on Christmas. Yeah, that's gonna suck also his mom is buying a next-row hotel room for a week Oh my lord

My Lanta well, it's gonna be a doozy But in the movie I wonder if they stayed the rest of the week, you know? Anyway, we'll think about it. I was just trying to think of a spin on that, but yeah. Yeah. We'll take another call or what is the grandpa meet someone else on the vacation? This could be fun folks. This could be fun. This could be fun. And then when he Helen comes on to the sun, yeah, the grandson. Yeah, Helen's kind of a perv. Helen's a total gulf. Yeah. Yeah. This is going to be great. And then he now is got his mom mad. His grandpa is annoyed. And now he has to tell his grandpa that Helen tried to hook up with them. And it's just the worst

Christmas ever. What if the mom walks in on them? And the mom has conflicted. And like Helen's got her hand on his leg. And just she just has to assume. and now she thinks that Helen's just sleeping with everybody. This could be a great movie guys. This could be a great movie. Based on true events. It's not a true story. Based on loosely based on true events. Right. We're gonna keep the names all. All right, Charles, taking our collar. Yeah, let's do it. Miles, thanks's do it. Miles, Thanksgiving is tomorrow.

And you know what I'm going to be doing? I'm going to be sitting on my couch, pouring myself a nice cold glass of tippy cow. And I'm going to be raising my glass high, and I'm going to give you a call, and I'm going to FaceTime you. And I'm going to be like, Miles, this glass of tippy cow is for you. Well, I appreciate that. I'm very thankful for that. There's no better way on Thanksgiving after your plum fall to fill in the cracks for dessert.

That's true. Pumpkin pie, little tippy cow. Yeah. That's, you don't even need whipped cream. You just get the vanilla tippy cow and tip it on back, fill in the cracks. Hmm. I like that analogy, filling in the cracks. It's almost like the stuff you spray inside the tire to patch it.

Yeah. Tippy cow, baby. Tippin on back. Welcome to the belly to podcast. Who is on the horn? Cameron. Hey, Cameron, where you calling him from? I'm calling from Iowa up into bucke today.

Debugue. It's a beautiful town. Well, there it is. Belly on up to the bar Cameron into bucke. Tell us what's on your mind, fella. Well, um, I've had this, I recently just bought a house in access to the driveway, this dude alleyway, and the thing about the alleyway is it's a complete mess. The neighbors trees are all stretched out, so you drive any vehicle through there and you're going to get your scrap stuff gained.

And then there are hot holes. We have, like me and my wife have a Mustang. You can drive the Mustang through there because you're gonna bottom out the Mustang. So it's like, I don't know if I should resolve this with my neighbors or I should go to the city. You know, it's kind of a difficult situation. Oh, first thing, did you or did you not buy the house? I did, yeah, yeah.

And did you not take a look at the alleyway before you bought it? Because it sounds like this is all stuff that's been there a while. Look at miles, always victim blaming. Okay. Well, you see it at the time, you know, the market wasn't that nice to us, I guess. So we're like, well, it's a little stucky that the driveway and acts the garage is doing an alleyway, but it converted everything else to a guy where I got it.

This is good enough. This will do. The juice was worth the squeeze. And you had the Mustang when you made that decision, right? We did. Yeah. Okay. Okay. So what would talk to me about your neighbors? I mean, first off, I think you do got to talk to neighbors for you to go to the city because then you're just the tattle tale guy to the city after that. So I think first you got to go to the

neighbors. What are they like? What are they going to take it? I think for the most part, neighbors are pretty friendly. I haven't gotten around to meet in all of them. My one neighbor, Jerry, he's the real nice guy. He's the work sanitation in the city. And he's got like, I'm always like this. You know, he's a really nice guy. He's work sanitation in the city and he's got like a vulgar voice like that. He's a really nice guy. So timeout is he

you're talking to me that he works for the mob? Yeah, you could say that works in sanitation. Okay, I've got it. So you got one mobster. What are the other ones? Yeah, so I think you can have my side. Otherwise, I've really met any of my other neighbors on my side of the street. But the main issue of the main house that has the worst overgrown trees is down the street on the other side of the alleyway.

So I don't know their whole situation Well, I mean the easy solution here is just you go trim those trees for them I mean what kind of a neighbor are you ask not what your neighbors can do for you ask what you can do for your neighbors Right that's a good point But it's also like, you know, are they going to call the cops? Like there's some weirdo on the alleyway because my tree is. So I was kind of thinking, well, I mean, you can be like the Batman on the alleyway and go at night. Yeah, which escalates everything. Yeah, let's get this. He's already

already. He's not being the crazy ch change. I know he wants to do it at night. Why don't you put a hockey mask on while you're at it? Yeah, yeah, so then they won't see my face. So what in a perfect world, what do you want to happen? In a perfect world, you know, I'd like the I'll be way to be in the a lot of Mustang. Everyone else got pay for it. Yeah, he's been on the Mustang. The city, you know, it's, uh, I also have a truck. So like the city could, I could make me, maybe deal with the city and this grab like a bunch of gravel, just load up in the back of the truck. I'll fill the holes myself, but like,

I don't know if I need to get a permit or something like that. What town do you live in? Well, I live in? Well, I live in Marion next to Peter Rapids. Okay. So first of all, if you just want to put some gravel down, I think you just go ahead and do that. I don't think you need the city's permission. And if you do, what are they going to do and make you shovel the gravel out of there? Yeah, that's good point.

What are you looking up, Charlie? I'm looking up the rules in Marion, city of Marion. I'm looking up the alleyway, oh, there's so long document, I'll tell you that much right now. Also, if you don't want to cut all the trees down or trim all the trees, just cut a square out of the trees that is tall as you're Mustang and then you can just slide right underneath all the branches.

It's not a bad idea right there. I like that. Yeah, I like efficient. Yeah, I say gravel is not that expensive. Go get yourself a half a bed truck load of gravel. You know, you can afford it. You got a Mustang and just start filling those potholes, trim those trees and then call it a day, you know, I think that is the very simple solution to all of it. And make sure you cut down those trees too. And yes, I do like your idea of doing it at night and definitely wear a mask and also set up some gold pros and film it and send us the footage. Okay. Yeah, I'll have to do that. Sounds like you think I'm not being serious about that advice right now.

Well, you know, I'm just afraid that maybe someone would think I'm up to something bad. I'm hearing like, you know, like a tree trimmer with a mask. Well, it's dark clothing as well. All right, well, do it during the day then. I think I think it's a simple enough solution. Okay. So how do you think it's going to go if you go to your neighbors? If you go to your neighbors and say, I want to redo the road. I want to trim all the trees.

I want to put a new light to street light back there. I want to make you guys all get new fences. Like, wait, how is this going to go? Yeah, that's my fear. I don't want to be like the age away of the alleyway, but you know what? It kind of sounds like you're trying to start an HOA. Yeah, that's not like a tagline. Sounds like one of those guys.

You're going to start collecting do's for everyone? Okay, maybe I want to want it, like my neighbors did pay for it, but you know, it's technically the alleyways, like city property. So, you know, maybe I, what are you guys thinking about if I went like house to house and got

signatures, and then I could be like, hey, me and my neighbors, we want to improve the alleyway, what you guys do it for us. Yeah, I don't love it. It's going to take a while. Solid. Yeah, it's kind of a lot of work and that's the not. Oh, okay, here we go. I don't got the time for that.

There we go. You the solution is not to make the alleyway better yourself. The solution is to make the alleyway worse for all involved because they needs a reason to jump into action much like you are. So I would say you got gotta find out what they love. You gotta find their Mustang per se. And run it for you. Yeah.

You know, if they love their house, just maybe cut a notch in one of the trees. And then when the big wind comes, it'll blow over onto their house. They're like, see, we should have trimmed that tree down and wouldn't have been hanging over that and it wouldn't fall on our house. Full belly up disclosure, that was the advice is Miles Mont Pleasure, not Charlie Barons, please direct all lawsuits to oubetcha.com.

No, it's an act of God. It was just an accident. Oh, yeah, was that notch an act of God, Miles? Well, he tripped in his axe fel fell and hit into the tree. Oh, I suppose you're right. Yeah, suppose you're right. So that's one option. You know, you could find out that, you know, there's a neighbor kid who likes to roll or blade throw some loose gravel down and when he's coming to all the corner, get some road rash, that'll

make that neighbor go into action. All of a sudden, everyone's getting hurt. Everyone's in danger. And next thing you know, you got yourself, it's going to look like a brand new spanking road back there. Or you just start hanging out in the alleyway, like we're in a bunch of dark clothes, you know, so everyone, you know, they think you're a sketchy figure, you know, just put your hood up, you know, and kind of walk around and say, Hey, how you doing? You know, and just, what will that accomplish? I make them, it'll put some lights in the alleyway. Oh, yeah, yeah. Yeah. Just like you'll see, it's such a shitty alleyway that even drug dealers want to hang out here. Yeah, say, you know, I can get you some is we legal in Iowa

No only for medical need. Yeah, so you just say hey, I got some medicinals, you know, you got a PhD You got a PhD. You know, you got a PhD? No, I don't, but like I could tell my customer. Oh, that was a funny joke. That was you made a funny that was really good. So do you have a beat on one of your neighbors on something that you wanted to destroy and of theirs? You know, yeah Kid white banana kind of reminded me. There's a neighbor kid that has like a little like a scooter or like a segue and he'll go like 30 miles an hour down the alleyway So I Don't look at your idea. I think maybe it'll make like a huge ramp and then maybe it'll like

ramp into a tree and then like his model is like, okay, we need to do something about. We need to do something about the road and this tree that's hanging over. Once again, the views expressed on the belly to a podcast by Miles, the U-Betch guy are not that of Charlie Barons. So, okay, so you need to sabotage the other way,

even further, more potholes, more clothes lines, stuff like that, you know, nothing will make a parent go faster than when a kid gets clothes lined by a branch on a scooter. Then you need to have a neighborhood party at your house and you need to start stirring the pot. You know, all this is happening. So is little Timmy okay on that scooter exit? God, that alleyway just is not safe for kids. You guys should really report that to the city. Get them to pay for it. Yeah. You just start, you got to go to the wreck route. Yeah. Then all of a sudden, you help themselves make the solution. You're not burning them by making them pay for a new

road. I think I like that direction. Well, although it's going to take, it's going to take 12 legal. I build a lot of them, a lot of them. Yeah. Hey, who's your least favorite neighbor and why? Um, I mean, it probably be that one down the road that's got a tree hanging out. I used to be one right next to me, not Jerry, but the other one because their lawn was like way overgrown.

You know, I got the weeds crawling up my hill, but they actually just had someone resolve all that. So, you know, they're back up on top of my list, but it's got to be that one that's just like, will not touch their lawn. You know, and, you know, if you're worried about the legal problems, you are literally have a mobster in your neighborhood. That's true.

He's going to take care of all that. So maybe just get him on board beforehand. Yeah, I can ask him for legal advice. Ask him for legal, yeah, ask him how to get out of legal troubles. Yeah. Yeah. You'll involve a baseball bat. Um, well, yeah, I think we have solved some of your problems. Are you satisfied? Uh, today, would you like to leave a review for your experience on the Belly to podcast? Yeah, I think I'm going to give you know, five out of five because I got some options. I got the long term, you know, making a ramp in the alleyway. That's an option. But I could also just go out in the middle of the day

and take care of it as well. Yeah, which might be the easier thing at the end of the day. But we're going to leave it to you. We wish you and your alleyway all the best. And tell your neighbors we say, say, watch out for branches. Yeah. Oh, we'll do. watch out for branches. Yeah.

Oh, we'll do. Yeah, yeah. All right. You bet you will talk soon. I mean, he's got to go the indirect road. Yeah, make it worse before it gets better. I mean, the clear answer here is just call the city and they'll do it. But what fun would that be? I don't know.

Yeah. Just if the word gets out that you're calling the city, you've had first thing of problem, it's not good in the neighborhood. They'll lose all your credibility. Maybe they may be thankful. Maybe they've been thinking the same thing too. Maybe they're on the line ready to talk to us

about that same alleyway And how their neighbor always is rolling through that alleyway with this loud Mustang. Yeah, making everybody up Yeah He's chainsaw Cutting down trees. He's always building dangerous ramps for the kids He's got to go Well Charlie, I think that's another good episode of the Million Up Podcast. What do you think?

We got another one in the tank, Miles. Hey, I hope all of you have a wonderful Thanksgiving. I am thankful for each and every one of you. And Miles, I'm thankful for you too. Thank you for you too, Charlie. Guys, we're also thankful for our bartender. So, as always, don't forget to tip your bartender. We'll see you in the next one.

Bye-bye. always don't forget to tip your bartender. We'll see you in the next one. Bye bye.