other; President, Vice President, Secretary, etc, and now I do their
newsletter. For almost ten years, Keith and I would do their horticultural
displays at The Florida State Fair.
Jen: Oh, was Keith into all of that?
Jet: Hell no. He just did anything I asked him to. He would
wanted. When we started to do the horticultural displays, I had
the design element already, and he was the muscle. We did that
for many years until his health went down and we couldn’t do it
anymore. We won quite a few blue ribbons many of those years.
Anyway, I was looking for work, and as you know, in Zephyrhills,
there was nothing for my skill set. I did some substitute
teaching for a year. That was fun. I really enjoyed it. It just wasn’t
enough to make ends meet.
Jen: Did those kids run all over you?
Jet: Yes, they did. I knew I always wanted to be a teacher, but
after that stint, I knew I could never.
Jen: I always wanted to be a teacher until I started chaperon-
choice, too.
They laugh.
Jet: Yeah, I wasn’t good at controlling the class.
Jen: They were so excited when Mrs. Hall was going to sub in
their class!
Still laughing.
Jet: The high school was great. They didn’t give two cents.
They walked, they sat down, and KNEW they were watching that
clock. And, so was I!
Jen: So that didn’t stick…..
Jet: Nope. Still wasn’t happy. I
saw an ad in the Pasco Shopper and
I said, “Finally, a job that matches
me and what I know!” They hired
me and I was with them for over six
years. I enjoyed it thoroughly. Towards
the end it was rough. The industry
was changing. It was hard to
sell a product that I really couldn’t
stand behind. It just wasn’t me. I
loved the customers. I loved that
end of it.
Jen: And, you are good at it.
because I had no control over the
quality of the product. My husband
Keith’s health was never really
good. And, as I got a little older and
“Keith was my best
friend”— Jet Hall
he needed more care at home, I had to take my early retirement.
Jen: Wait. I have to stop you here because you are passing the
Jet: Oooooh, where was that? It was when I worked for the
shopper.
Jen: It was. At the very famous Goddess Party that a mutual
former friend invited us both to. There was, what, eight of us that
were invited, something that none of us had ever been to. It was
in a cafe after hours, we were requested to dress like Goddesses
and choose the one we related to the most. True to form, I was
completely dressed from head to toe in a gown with a headpiece
and the whole nine…
Jet: Yeah, I thought you were weird.
Jen: Ha! You did? Rude. And, you were wearing a long sleeve
it?” with full sarcasm. Basically, the tone was very “F” you. (they
am disappointed that you thought I was weird. I was IN costume,
thank you very much.
Jet: I didn’t really take that too seriously.
Jen: Well, I did, because I love a good costume party.
Jet: But, then I listened to what came out of your mouth and I
realized that you were okay. You were on my level. (they laugh).
Jen: What I always think about that particular Goddess Party
was that almost everyone that went to that party remained
Jet: Can I tell you a secret?
Jen: Of course.
Jet: That goddess party? It was all bullshit.
Jen: What do you mean?
Jet: I only went for the food and drinks.
Jen: Is there another reason to go to a party?
Jen: Oh, even though I was weird?
Jet: Yeah. Even though you were weird
okay moving, on.
Jet: I saw your integrity and what you were really like when
you ended up buying that cafe. You went through some crazy stuff
with that and I got to thinking, “man, this bitch can be a real tiger.”
Jen: Me? Aw, thank you.
Jet: I watched you stand up for yourself. I am very bad about
that. That is what I like about you. That is my weakness and that
is your strength.
Jet: Like making me do this stupid interview. With my stupid
picture.
Jen: Picturessssss. Plural. So, that is how we met. At the time,
I was a caterer and you were selling ads for the shopper. Well, I
don’t know if you remember this. I had taken on the cafe and you
were coming in every day for coffee and you approached me for
of your own pocket. I guessed just based on the fact that you sat
across from this weird girl at a goddess party.
Jen: It did. The point of me bringing that up was that you always
have seemed to be interested in that small business and how
you could help. I mean, you helped me, you barely knew me. We
had really only met a couple of times at that point.
Jet: There was something about you.
Jen: Well, I have a feeling that you did it for more than just me.
Your heart has ALWAYS been to help the new business owner. I
still see you do it every day with our magazine.
Jet: Well, when I worked for the shopper my hands were tied
with what I would have really liked to do, but you know when I
was able to cut a deal, we did it.
Jen: At some point, you made one of my dreams come true. You
founded the Community Magazine. We got closer, and you often
would talk about wanting to retire from working for someone
else, and... let’s just back it up a second. At that goddess party,
our hostess leaned over and whispered, “that’s my good friend,
Jeanette and it’s amazing that she can even be here because her
husband is really ill and in a rehab type of facility.” I believe he
8 • MAY/JUNE 2019 813.682.9364