You Just Never Know Who's Hand You May Shake...

By Rob Catanese

Friends, I am a photographer for the local ABC station here in Florida.  Today we were covering a story of a jeweler in Palm Beach who had absconded numerous people out of their jewelry that they entrusted to him on consignment.  Now, Worth Avenue is the Florida equivalent to Rodeo Drive in California, it is the home of serious, obscene money. 

This person had taken their jewelry in the hopes of selling it, however, just a few days ago, put a sign on his door saying closed due to "illness" and simply vanished with all the jewels!  

Now, this person worked for another unscrupulous jewelry on the Avenue just doors away, one in which we found out has numerous lawsuits pending for not only cheating buyers but over charging their customers for cubic zirconia gems being passed off as quality diamonds. 

The police are investigating all the players involved in this scheme. 

During the course of our day, covering the story and trying to peel back the layers of this sordid tale, I came across another store owner who had shed some light on the dastardly deeds on one of America's most expensive roadways and needless to say, there are some seriously evil people who pass themselves off as store owners of Worth Avenue. 

Since this is still an ongoing investigation, lets say that the store owner in question is named Marcel, and Marcel works for 123 jewels.
Stay with me on this....

Many years ago, there was a man who emigrated from Greece, came to America and settled in Chicago. To protect his identity, I will call him Enzo. With very little to his name other than a dream to succeed in his new home, Enzo began to do the one thing he was good at, he was a baker.  So it wasn't too long, with hard work and little luck, he opened a storefront and began his pursuit of the American dream!   

He began to amass a reputation as not only a good baker, but a great man.  Helping people any way he could, lending friends and neighbors money asking nothing in return.  He would simply say "just be good to other people as I have been good to you!" 

He was known throughout his neighborhood and was respected. Never ever asking for something, instead lending a hand to those who asked for help.  One day, Enzo was visited by a man he knew, this man came to Enzo because he had no place left to go.  This man also had a dream, but needed money to pursue it.

He knew of Enzo's generosity and after being declined a loan by the local banks, thought he would approach the baker as a last resort.  When they met, he looked at Enzo and said I have an Idea for a business.  The idea was to sell hamburgers for 10 cents, but he needed 25 thousand dollars to make his dream come to fruition.  Without a second thought, Enzo

gave him the money!  

And in usual fashion, he said I don't want you to pay me back, since I am a baker, Enzo asked him if he could simply make the hamburger buns for his new business. 

The young entrepreneur gladly agreed, and the two men shook hands and had a deal!  Enzo had just shaken hands with Ray Kroc, the founder of Mcdonalds!  To this day, Enzo provides ALL the bread to every single Mcdonalds across the Globe!

Stay with me...

Enzo and his wife were visiting Palm Beach not too long ago and decided to shop on Worth Avenue, and met Marcel at 123 jewels.  When they walked in his store, Marcel being the evil parasite that he is, engaged the couple and seduced them into putting a dent in Enzo's black American Express card.  Somehow, Marcel convinced Enzo to give him his credit card number, so that his wife would be able to shop and he(Marcel) would handle all the details, Enzo complied.  As the couple began to look over some of the jewelry, Enzo's wife would say I like that or thats pretty,  Enzo would say sweetheart I will buy it for you, Marcel would show them and the sales pitch began! 

However, Enzo's wife quietly informed Marcel that Enzo was suffering from Alzheimers, and that he really didn't or couldn't remember what he was saying!  Marcel used this to rack up more than 50 thousand dollars worth of jewelry!  He told them take them back to your hotel, wear them to dinner and enjoy!  Well, Enzo's wife, decided to return the jewelry the next day, and Marcel refused to refund her their money, and gave them a store credit!  She walked out, and never went back.

Friends, good always trumps evil in this life.  Enzo was blessed by the hand of God not for what he did, but for who he was!  Be a blessing to someone just because you can!  Because you never know who's hand you may shake! God bless to all...