The Tale of Two Pint-Sized Places

Pass It On is a new, bi-weekly peek inside the heart and mind of Francis Pass…

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Pass It On – July 29, 2019

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Did you know there are more mega-millionaires living in Omaha, Nebraska than any other place in the world?

And, one day, we set out to meet one of them.

The Tale of Two Pint-sized Places… the Pass It On for July 29th, 2019… brought to you by Pass One Hour Heating & Air… here’s Francis Pass…

My wife, Patricia, wanted to meet Warren Buffett.

Yes, THE Warren Buffett.

I just so happen to have a colleague in Omaha, Nebraska, where ol’ Warren lives. McCarthy – John McCarthy – he owns a One Hour Heating & Air franchise up there.

I learned that Mr. Buffett likes to stop by the local Burger King to get a cup of coffee every morning, and,we were privy, by our buddy John, to a restaurant named Gorat’s, where Warren often enjoys a steak dinner on Wednesday nights.

So, we jumped in my truck and headed north to Buffettville.

On our little voyage to Omaha, Patricia and I stopped in to see two pint-sized houses that were very different, but very much the same.

We pulled into Winterset, Iowa; a quaint little town and home to one of the biggest movie stars the world has ever known. His name was Marion Robert Morrison… but you probably know him better by his screen name, John Wayne.

I’ve always admired the Duke, something about his demeanor makes me think he earned his way in life. And from the look of his boyhood home, nobody but John Wayne paved his way to success. I was shocked at how tiny of a house it was.

We left our little footprints on the floor of John Wayne’s humble home and headed to Omaha with the hopes of locking eyes with Warren Buffett.

We checked into the Burger King. No Warren Buffet.

We made reservations at Gorat’s. The sizzling smells were sublime, and the steaks were even better, but…No Warren Buffett.

We even checked into Berkshire Hathaway’s headquarters. You might’a guessed it. No Warren Buffett.

But then… just when we were about to throw in the towel, we rounded a corner and there it was! No, not Warren Buffett… just his home.

An ordinary home… on an ordinary street… with ordinary people.

I started to think, pilgrim, that our road trip was rooted in a tall tale. But then I learned something fascinating.

That ordinary home on an ordinary street was purchased by Warren Buffett way back in 1958 for $31,500. He calls it the third best investment he’s ever made. And when asked why he’s never moved, he replied that, well, he’s happy there – and if he thought he’d be happier somewhere else, he’d move.

Isn’t that something?

He could live anywhere in the world… but he’s happy right here he is.

How about you?

Are you happy where you are? Do you think you’d be happier somewhere else?

It doesn’t really matter where you grew up, the size of your home, the car you drive, or the name you were given at birth. The real you… the one that’s inside you… can do great things, no matter the size.

Patricia and I never got a peek at Warren Buffett, but we came home from Omaha with a whole lot more.

Thanks for listening.

– Francis Pass.

Oh, and PS – Did you know John Wayne took his nickname from a family pet? Good thing his dog was named “Duke” because it would seem kinda silly to call him “Spot.”