Last person in on Wednesday was a friend from Sisters who I have great respect for. We tend to disagree on politics just enough for interesting discussions, and have similar literary tastes. (He just turned me on to the book, THE RELIGION, by Tim Willocks, about the siege of the knights of Malta by the Turks in the 1500's, great fun.) Last thing he said as he left.

"People will always want to move to Central Oregon."

"Oh, man," I shook my head. "I can't believe you said that."

First two people in on Thursday. First guy had just lost his construction job. "Will you be able to get unemployment benefits?

"No, it was a three man crew and we were contract workers...."

Second guy in, has had a business in Bend for 20 years and was closing up. "My landlord wants to subdivide my 15k sq. ft. into 3 5k spaces and charge 2.00 a foot. "

"2.00 a foot....on 3rd Street?" I asked, incredulously.

"Yeah, I told him he needed to come check out what's happening in Bend."

Anyway, the guy was 61 years old, and decided just to retire.

It always amazes me how people not only can't see the end of the bubble, but will have random weird spikes.

Third guy in the store. Long time customer who works in construction and always scoffed at my questions about how his industry was doing. "Well, we're doing O.K." he said. "The real action is in commercial real estate."

"Yeah, but doesn't commercial building depend on new population and such?"

"Well, maybe. But there will always be a need for people with my skill."

"Unless building stops altogether."

"Then I'd just move and work somewhere else."

What was most shocking to me was that he had the ready answer, and that he'd obviously thought about it.

Meanwhile, all three spots in the building across the street are still empty. One has had a sign for a new business in the window for three months.

This is how I can tell the difference between a normal person trying to make a living, and a rich person wanting to start a lifestyle recreational 'retail' location; they pay rent for month after month without earning income. Crazy.

One other spot has a for lease sign. And the last spot (the hair stylists in the downstairs and upstairs left quietly....I just looked over one day, and they were gone) is just empty.

You know, someday I'll look back on all this and see that as the peak of the bubble: that a landlord would actually kick out viable tenants who were willing to pay the rent because he wanted higher class businesses. Really crazy.