Overheard at Chipperfields' ... Part XLIV ...

Ross was sitting in his usual corner that he occupies when he is re-stocking the Juke Box. This time though, he had spread around him a variety of pamphlets, catalogues, a lap top and a handful of the colourful sticks that the Bonnie has recently brought in to plug the mouth opening on the plastic lids for take out coffees. Ross was engrossed in some new project. The Rev was sitting quietly at the table watching Ross shuffle through the papers spread before him.

"Whatcha up to?" asked J-- as he approached the table.

"Oh just looking into the lid plugs that we've brought in?" replied Ross.

J-- picked up a purple plastic plug and asked, "So are they really called lid plugs?"

"I don't actually know," said Ross, "that's just what I've started calling them. Each supplier has a different name for them."

"Sounds confusing," replied J-- setting the purple plug down and spreading out the handful on the table to admire the colours and shapes, "so what are you up to? Or dare I ask?"

"Well," as Ross started to speak Tracy brought J--'s coffee to the table.

"Need a refill?" Tracy asked Ross, as she set J--'s coffee down.

"No, thanks" replied Ross looking a tad confused, "I think I'm okay."

J-- snorted, "Sure you are" as Tracy turned and returned to the counter, her thick pony tail bouncing as she went.

"Thanks J--," offered Ross with a sly smile, "with friends like you ..."

"Whoa, cowboy," interupted J--, "who said anything about us being friends. Don't say it too loudly around here, "J-- glanced around the busy shop, "people might get the wrong idea."

"Ha ha," mocked Ross, "now as for what I'm doing ..." he paused and picked up one of the lid plugs before continuing, "I got an idea about these things this morning."

J-- lifted his nose in the air and sniffed, "I smell something bad coming ..."

"Hey, this isn't like the stay-cation idea," said Ross glancing nervously about, ensuring Bonnie was no where within ear shot, "but I'm almost ready to launch the Stay-cations ... and mark my words - IT WILL WORK."

"Okay," laughed J-- sipping his coffee, "so what's your new idea?"

"Well, right now we get these little plugs in four colours and in two styles," observed Ross, "and today I got thinking that we're missing a possible collectors' market out there ..."

"Collectors' market?" asked J-- looking dumbfounded, "what kind of collectors' market is there for little plastic tabs you stick in the lid of a coffee cup?"

"Oh you'd be surprised at the crap that people WILL collect," said Ross.

"I wouldn't," said The Rev looking at the antiques and collectibles spread around the shop as he broke his silence, "I wouldn't be surprised at all ..."

The Rev and J-- both laughed as Ross continued.

"My thinking is that we should get in more colours and more styles," Ross' voice was increasing in tempo and momentum, "we could get seasonal styles. Little stockings and candy canes for Christmas, little hearts for St Valentine's Day, little shamrocks for St Patty's day, Pumpkins for Halloween, and even Little coloured eggs for Easter" his finger pointed to a page in one of the catalogues on the table in front of him, "we could do limited edition and time limited styles too." said Ross pausing for a breath.

"Time limited styles?" asked J--

"Yeah, we could advertise that on a particular night you could get a special limited edition lid plug if you come in and get a take out coffee. We could advertise that they are only available for a limited time. Then we could introduce other styles and colours, and keep the hype up so that people want to collect them."

"Like McDonald's and their happy meal toys?" asked The Rev sardonically.

"Exactly," smiled Ross, clearly missing the irony, "we could do special promotions like collect 12 and trade them in for a cookie, or a free coffee or something like that. We could introduce a dozen different colours and dozen different styles and encourage people to 'collect them all', and we could only have certain styles or colours available at certain times and on specific days."

"Really?" J--'s tone was incredulous.

"Really," affirmed Ross, "I'm telling you, if we played this right and did the right kind of advertising and promotion, this could be big. Really big. People ... , especially kids will want these things," to emphasis his point he picked up one of the little plastic plugs and held it aloft before the three of them, "I'm telling you, this could be big. It could get people beating a path to our door, all in search of that one elusive lid plug they need to complete their collection, and just when they think they've got all the styles and colours, we'll introduce some new ones ... this will be big ..." Ross was breathless as he finished speaking.

For a long moment neither J-- or The Rev said anything ... then The Rev broke the silence.

"Ross," The Rev's voice was low and serious, "if I were you I'd just stick to the Stay-cation idea. It has more of a possiblity of success."

"Yeah," agreed J--, "an in the mean time I would seriously consider switching to decaf again ..."

J-- and The Rev laughed as Ross continued to hold the little plastic lid plug aloft ...