Arthur F. Perfetti
Artist and Webmaster
Trinity Hosting Services
Page Three (3):
Success:
My banking career was off and running, lots of great people to work with, contacts to be made, so forth and so on. Well, as my career was speeding along my personal life was heading for a crash. My wonderful wife and I were not getting along, and I can admit now it was all my fault. 5 years married, and I just wasn't happy. Why??? No Idea. We separated and I found my own apartment, this I thought would help bring things together in my life. Oooopppps another unexpected lesson.
My Dad had his own butcher shop in Flagler Beach, Fla. I was on my way to visit with him riding along A1A heading north, just cruising, listening to the radio, no cares.... "We interrupt this broadcast to bring you a news flash." The tourist helicopter just crashed off the Daytona Beach Fishing Pier, there are no survivors! They believe the Pilots wife was on the beach when the accident occurred." I was shocked, why? I had no idea at the time. I parked outside my Dads store, ran in and turned on the radio. Again the news flash was being announced. My Dad looked at me and said..." What's wrong? Why are you crying? Did you know these people?" After a moment of getting myself together I responded, "no, I had know idea who they were."
All I knew was that I hurt inside, thinking of the people in that helicopter, the wife on the beach watching her husband die, the waste of life. I got myself together and went on with my life. So I thought!
Fate... What is That?:
A few weeks later I attended a bankers conference being held in a hotel conference room in Daytona. After the conference I entered the bar for a drink. Walked up to the Bar, "I'll have Chevers on the rocks please." (Only the best for me Ego flying) I looked to the woman sitting next to me at the bar, I said "Hi", she looked at me and I instantly new her, having never met her before, not knowing how ... I fell in love. "What's your name," "They call me Sam." But my name is Sharon Haig. Ok lets get to the point. She was the wife of the helicopter pilot that was killed on the beach. SURPRISE! God works in mysterious ways.
I Met my soul mate, and instantly realized this. I was going to marry this woman, I was going to take care of her for the rest of our lives. I had never met her husband John, but always had the feeling that I new him also. Well, that was in 1974, this is 2004, 30 years and four children later, I love her as I did the first time I laid eyes on her. Please keep in Mind I still hadn't met the Lord..
New Beginnings:
My Dad had warned me prior to my separating from my wife, that, "if and when you get a divorce you WILL lose everything you have including your job." Who Me? I'm vice president of a bank! Well I divorced my wife, lost my job, and everything else I had including my son. Wisdom shared wisdom learned too late.
Let me state at this time.... I do not regret that I and my wife separated, I do regret the fact that I hurt her. Even today, I can say that I still Love this woman and always will, but... in a different way. She was the love of my life, but not my soul mate. I WILL one day before I leave this earth talk with her and tell her how I feel and how sorry I am to have hurt her the way I did.
I moved to Jacksonville, FL. and started working for an independent bank as Vice President and Cashier, Sat on the Board of Directors, owned stock in the bank. A new Beginning! Sharon moved with me! My life was back together. The president of the bank mentioned in passing that he would love to purchase his own independent bank. I mentioned in passing that I new of a bank that could be bought. So our minds joined forces, I put the deal together, he buys the bank I get a percentage of the stock for the deal, I take over as President of the New Bank, He moves in as CEO and President of the Board. My future is right before me. Off I go putting a multi-million dollar deal together. Meeting with board members, meeting with stockholders, get stock options for 99% of the stock, financing approved, deal approved by the banking regulators, FDIC approval. Everything is a GO! Set the time and place for transfer of monies and stock. Directors show up, Stockholders show up......the purchaser, the man I work for, the man that wants to own his own independent bank. NEVER SHOWS UP!
Never saw it coming!
I new as a banker you had to play politics, don't lend money to this man, I don't like him. Don't approve this loan he works for my competitor. Unbelievable how the officers and board members of banking institutions control who and why people borrow monies. Time to get over it... I came home one night from work looked at Sharon and said. Lets pack up, I'm not going into the bank anymore. Done Deal! Finished playing politics.... So I Thought!
Back to Daytona we go, no job, starting over one more time.
Another Beginning...?
Ok new life... new start... We put enough money together to open a small Sub Center on Main Street Daytona Beach Florida, " Subs N Suds" some of you may have seen it. Well fun times were there for the taking, oh yea, and so were the politics. Well lets start at the beginning. We opened shop, we met the locals, prostitutes, dealers, junkies, alcoholics, homeless, and a complete homosexual society living in the hotel next to us.. Depression set in, lets get over this... so we did, we joined in the party. Every night same routine, close the restaurant, lock the doors, get down and PARTY! seven days and nights a week I can't begin to tell you how much pot we smoked, or how much beer we drank. We partied with people who today, are still some of the most popular rock n roll groups in today's music. Sharon and I were going straight down hill, and we didn't want to hit bottom. We found someone to manage the business for us and I took a job in Flagler Beach in a paint and body shop, owned by a young Christian couple. (God does things in a funny way).
Well the young lady would not leave me alone, constantly preaching to me, constantly inviting me to her church. I finally gave in, Sharon and I went to church with her and her husband, the only way I knew to get her off my back. Duh! How was I suppose to know that something bigger and greater was fixing to take her place. Sharon and I both found the Lord, same place, same time, same station. We were Baptized in the Atlantic Ocean.
So my life with God begins, I fell head over heals in love with Jesus, I began studying his word, my prayer life begins.
Starting Over With God:
Well, it happened just like they said it would, we didn't want to party anymore, we didn't want the friends we had, or should I say they didn't want us. So Great things were coming our way. We took control of the business once again No parties, no Pot, no beer just Sharon, myself and God. God brought back my old talent as an artist, I learned to pinstripe vehicles (www.pinstripingart.com) ( The Unknown Blessing). Ok, as you know if you want God in your life something must change, soooo Sharon and I married, Sharon became pregnant, we got involved with local politics, a group of us wanted to clean up Main street, well, certain politicians didn't want that they were making money off the street, kickbacks from drug dealers, payoffs from prostitutes, parties with prostitutes, even the uniformed police were in on the action. We finally obtained a diary from one of the local prostitutes who was ready to clean up, it contained dates, times and names of those attending the parties. We had the ammunition to cleanup the street. We met with the mayor presented our case. Good things happened, cleanup the police, city officials resign, we are on the way to making a better place in Daytona. We lost the business, along with the others who fought for the cause, a customer would walk up to the door, the police would shake him/her down Political lesson learned, be a part of the world do not partake of the world. Straddled with judgments and just our faith to keep us going. I really believed what was told me... When you find the Lord you start anew. Well, we sure were about to start anew... again!.
I learned to stripe by an artist Thomas Stratton, I practiced day and night, in the sub center during the day and at home after work, I fell in love with the art. I took my first job in a hotel parking lot at Daytona Beach, It was a Jeep, I charged 50.00 for a 200.00 job just to get it. The customer loved what I did, I was unhappy with what I did, my wife was with me, she just chuckled... I asked her.... Will you pray with me, Sure but for what.... You'll see....
I prayed with her, Dear Jesus, Please ..Please allow me to do this all my Life, Please Bless me with the talent that I may use it forever. GUESS WHAT.... he did.... A prayer answered....
We lost everything we owned right down to our jewelry, all we had were our clothes, so we left Daytona for the greener pastures of Keystone Heights, Fl. I started painting signs and pinstriping cars and trucks. Joined the First Baptist Church or Keystone Heights. Our new life was about to start.
Home
MEMBER
wpcbusiness.com
"The East Tennessee Business Directory"