Hi,

I signed off of the other thread, so I'm not going to go back in and reply to any of the comments there. I want to say thanks again to all of the guys who spoke up in that thread. Many of you surprised me as we haven't exactly been 'friends', yet you set aside the differences we've had over politics, etc., and addressed the point of whether or not I'm going to deliberately cheat someone.

Funny, but over the years, I've had a few problems with reputable dealers and one of the things I learned is that a guy who sells stuff all week for years and years is going to have a few unhappy customers. It's absolutely unavoidable. In my case, I've had orders slip through the cracks and have been late getting people their product. I've also been guilty of not getting emails or calls returned on time when I've been underground (with my shows) or abroad. Like those merchants I've had problems with, each snag stands out but the 49 other smooth transactions behind it do not. Either way, these kinds of things are in a different realm than lying to someone or stealing from someone (which is what you call it when someone switches your new equipment with old or broken equipment). This really puts a lot of things in perspective.

When I do decide to rip someone off, you can rest assured that it won't be for the price of an engine repair. It won't be for the price of an engine or ten engines. When I go, I'm going to go big. I'm going for the million dollar score. Or I'm going to drive up to OC and kick in Big D's door and tie him up and take all of his high-end jets. Just for bragging rights, I'll do that one unarmed, too!

I'm not going to get back into that debate with that guy or wrestle around in that mud with him, but any of you who have questions may email, call or otherwise contact me offline and I'll happily answer any questions you have.

Thanks very much to the guys I've met, talked to, dealt with, flown with, argued with, prayed with and played with over the years. You guys really made my day yesterday when I read the thread from backstage at the Joan Kroc Theatre where I was waiting for the intermission to end and Act II of "Big River" to start. You guys are the best!