By Stacy Karacostas
July 23rd, 2010
More years ago than I care to count, I moved from Georgia to Colorado—ostensibly to finish college. Since I needed to pay in-state tuition rates, I had to live there for a year before starting to school.
Having already been a whitewater raft guide on the Ocoee River in Tennessee, it seemed natural to get a job as a raft guide for the summer. Then, in the winter, I figured I could wait tables in a resort town and learn to ski (it’s a rough life…right?).
I had one small problem though…
I had a dog.
Finding housing in a mountain town can be really difficult. And finding housing with a dog can be close to impossible. So, at first I camped out while I searched for a room to rent.
Lucky for me, my Mom came to visit and decided it was high time I found a place.
Then she promptly embarrassed the heck out of me by asking each and every person we ran into if they knew of any place for rent.
I don’t mean asking acquaintances or coworkers. I’m talking about bank tellers, check out girls, random people on the street, the postman…you name it.
Needless to say, I was totally mortified each and every time I heard her utter the words “Let me ask you a question…” in her thick French accent to some total stranger.
I kept begging her to stop until finally she explained her strategy…Something she called the “Three Foot Rule”.
Basically, anytime she needed something, she asked everyone who came within three feet of her if they could help. Or if they knew someone else who might. Until eventually she found what she needed.
Once I realized she wasn’t totally insane I let her keep asking. And you know what?
