The characters in this story are based on real people, however some names may have been changed to protect their identity, as some are still in witness protection.
Praise for The Never Ending Expedition:
"A riveting story" - Sandi M., Blo sister, Miami
"I like her style" - Anonymous City of Miami employee
Scene: Miami. Lead actress Fatima is looking for a permit expeditor to get her amazingly pink store approved for construction...BLO Blow Dry Bar.
1 For those of you who are not familiar with the necessity of having an expeditor, which is BIG business in South Florida, check here: http://www.speedypermit.com/
Scene 1, Act 1:
It all begins on a sunny, humid day in Miami (obviously). An email pops into Fatima's inbox from a reliable source, providing a referral of an Expeditor, John Barr, who comes with high commendations. F calls JB to go over some details and price. F follows up with an email to confirm promised timeline and price in writing.
Act 2:
F meets John late May 2011 with architectural plans outside a City building and gives him application to start the process. Then she meets his wife Angela Barr a few days later as she is calling for first half of payment. Finally she meets with JB again to give final portion of plans.
Act 3:
Over next few days, John Barr discusses with F about water and sewage allocations, discusses with F's landlord specific details, and even takes a call from F's contractor. The mood of this scene is that things are getting done.
Fatima follows up here and there, and the last reply is on June 2nd, 2011 from JB via text msg stating that "plans are in DERM, 2-3 more days." (DERM = Dept of Env Resource Mgmt).
Scene 2:
Thursday June 16th
Thereafter, days go by. No callbacks, emails, texts. And no one else can get ahold of John or Angela Barr either.
Fatima is getting fed up. She starts to google John Barr to find these documents online:
http://www.miamidadeethics.com/ArchivedMeetingAgendasSummaries/103006summay.pdf
http://www.miamidadeethics.com/Closed%20Complaints/2006/c06-11_barr.pdf
http://www.scaminformer.com/scam-report/john-barr-barrjohnbarr-ripped-me-off-took-500-to-fix-a-c28907.html
(Cue suspenseful music).
Fatima spends hours trying to call every single person in the City of Miami Building Department to look up any information on her outstanding permits...to no avail. She works off tension at the gym, and looks up from stationary bike to see that she can see the City building from the windows.
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| Eureka! |
Scene 3:
Fatima drives over (hey, its hot outside!) and rushes up to the 4th floor where all permit-related things are handled.
Fatima is wandering in a panic knowing that city workers clock out before their shift is really done...approaching 4pm now. She finally finds the right area, somewhat deserted except for 2 people [cue extras: mid-40s mother, annoying child running around; 50-something man who keeps pacing around].
She walks up to the only permit clerk and sits down, proceeds to tell her story of the disappearing permit expeditor. Clerk feels sorry for Fatima and reassures he is here to help [wardrobe: F in cute pink outfit, hair freshly flat-ironed, lot of lipgloss]. He tells her how the sinister John Barr was just in that office one hour prior, as they are there all the time, and if she leaves her number he will text her the next time one of them comes in so Fatima can talk to them about it. (Fatima's mind says "you mean confront them buddy." Clerk's mind says "Score!") Fatima leaves the office thinking "An Angel has come to help me!" and struts a little as she exits. She has managed to get herself a double agent.
Scene 4:
Friday June 17th
It's a sweltering day. Miami breaks a heat record for this day. F thinks she is an all-star this morning, and has tons of time while awaiting the Barr's to show up at the permit office. She wakes up at 8am, has a champion breakfast [props consultant: egg whites, rye toast, orange juice, green tea]. She feeds dog [Cue Tyson the gay boxer] and decides she is going to take him on a jog.
Fatima is on Brickell Ave, in the midst of downtown traffic, dripping sweat, trying to use the BB&T ATM but cannot remember her pin...when at that moment she receives a text. It's from the double agent! The text reads: Hello Fatima, johns wife is here if u would like to talk to her. OMG!
Fatima knows there is no freakin way she is going to make it, but she is going to try anyway. Dragging Tyson in the sweltering heat she rushes home. (Tyson's voice says "Listen hunnie, you can pull & drag me all you want, I ain't movin a pace faster than this.") Fatima's head swirls around as she swears she heard a finger snap.
Fatima barely showers, grabs her car and rushes over to the city building. She runs over to the permit clerk and starts asking "Where is.." when he motions for her to keep it down, lest she should uncover his mission. She walks away, disappointed as she receives another text that Angela Barr just left.
Wait! Fatima is determined..she starts walking around all the corridors, ladies bathroom, hoping to run into her. An older, retired Bahamian man (cue Mr. Charles Flowers - that's his name!) approaches her and asks if she is looking for something.
F: "I am looking for someone"and proceeds to keep wandering through each section. A few minutes later she runs into him again, and he offers to 'take care' of whoever has left her here alone. She tells him her story and within 5 minutes she is sitting in a back office with kind Denise. making progress as she is able to search out the application in her system.
They proceed to the plans drop-off area, and of course Fatima's drawings are not there. But Pedro at the desk says some of the work has been done - excellent! Since the city stuff has been completed, they conclude the drawings must be at DERM, as that is the only approval left to be obtained.
Fatima sets off to the DERM office, about 5 minutes away, with Mr. Flowers as an escort insisting she follow him (separate cars, phew!) and he will continue to help her.
Scene 4:
Still Friday...
At the DERM office now, re-explaining the story to lovely Monica who is completely sympathetic and agrees with Fatima that John Barr is evil and has been quietly ripping people off for a while now.
Fatima's drawings are not there, nor were they ever. Fatima is visibly upset as she learns that even with new drawings, she will have to start the process over since the approvals obtained before have special stamps on the original drawings. In her vulnerable state, Fatima half-heartedly agrees to attend some reception dinner at the Air Force Base at Mr. Flowers' invitation.
That evening Fatima requests her contractor obtain new drawings from the architect and engineer. They will need to be signed by all parties and notarized again.
At this time, Fatima gets through the weekend with an Eco launch party, a late night at Mansion with a random German girl, and a horrible wedding show.
Monday and Tuesday go by, she patiently waits for new drawings as she is informed by Double Agent that the criminals have not been to the Building Dept each day.
The story continues.....
In the meantime 2 major things to think about during this intermisson:
1. How will this drama unfold? Hint: She does run into the infamous Barr family...
2. How can Fatima get out of this dinner at the military base? (Esp after Double Agent told her Mr. Flowers is a 'gets around, lotsa stories' kinda 70-something old guy. Eww.)
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| Props: Actual Plans from Blo Blow Dry Bar |
This is a nail biter!!
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