My First Time Closing the Family Business: The Dolphin Car Wash

My name is Michael Holbert and was 18 when my father asked me to take on the responsibility of closing the car wash for the first time. My father had planned an early exit to get a head start on a fishing trip with his buddies at a lake 30 miles away. Since cell phones hadn’t been invented yet, my father made it clear to me that he wouldn’t be reachable once he was on the lake. This left me in charge of all the closing duties, a task filled with many responsibilities I’d never tackled before.

I knew my father had been a bit worried—I was young, still driving with a restricted license due to my age, and had never closed the business on my own. But he decided it was time to see if I, his oldest son, could handle the responsibility. My first mistake came early: instead of properly delegating tasks among the employees, and approaching closing time, I opted to save money by having everyone clock out except for one experienced worker, Fabian Ellis. Little did I know at the time, that Fabian would become a crucial ally in helping me navigate the closing procedures.

The Closing Process Begins

The closing routine was a simple task, just systematic. First, Fabian and I needed to stop accepting new customers. We placed the "Closed" sign at the entrance and turned away a few stragglers who arrived late. Once that was done, we turned our attention to the cars still in the automated wash. We made sure each vehicle finished its cycle and completed the remaining drying, window cleaning, and vacuuming services. Every car was inspected for quality before being returned to its owner.

After the last car was gone, Fabian and I began the more complex work. Fabian’s knowledge was invaluable. He showed me how to properly shut down the automated wash system. We ran the final rinse cycle to clear any remaining soap from the equipment, powered down the conveyor system and sprayers and checked all the filters and hoses for debris.

We collected and stored the drying towels and microfiber cloths for cleaning, wiped down the drying stations, and restocked the cleaning supplies for the next day. Together, we emptied the vacuum canisters, cleaned the hoses, and stored everything in its proper place. We swept the floors, took out the trash, and made sure all surfaces were cleaned and sanitized.

I was starting to feel more confident that I could successfully close the business without incurring a hitch—until disaster struck.

The Key Dilemma

After locking up most of the equipment and finishing the inventory check, I realized that the last step before locking the office was to count the money in the cash register. I placed the day's earnings into a deposit bag and put the rest into the drawer for the next day’s opening. I then placed the cash drawer inside the office safe, locked it, and secured the office door—only to realize with a sinking feeling that I had left the keys to the business on top of the desk inside the locked office.

A wave of panic crashed over me. I knew how important this moment was—my father had trusted me to handle the closing, and now I’d made a serious mistake. Unable to find a solution on my own, I rushed to Fabian, breathless, and explained my blunder. Desperately, I hoped that once again, Fabian’s experience would be the key to pulling me from the depths of this crisis and bringing me back into the light.

After a quick assessment, I realized this task wasn’t going to be easy. Retrieving the keys from the locked office seemed nearly impossible. I took a moment to reflect on the situation. Should I just accept my mistake and call a locksmith, charging the business for it? If I did, my father would undoubtedly find out I’d locked the keys in the office. My thoughts then turned to Fabian. He was knowledgeable in a wide range of subjects, but I wasn’t sure if even he could find a solution to this problem. Still, I’d no choice but to confront my blunder, swallow my pride, and ask Fabian for help in saving the day.

After explaining and showing Fabian what I’d done, Fabian, calm and composed, quickly assessed the situation. The office was a small 10x10-foot space with a desk, two chairs, a safe, a trash can, and a large window that looked out into the customer area. I’d left the keys right on top of a large calendar on the desk. The only access to the office was through the door, which was now securely locked. There was a narrow slit under the door—just wide enough to slide something thin underneath.

Fabian’s Ingenious Solution

Fabian came up with a plan. In the small hallway closet, he found several wire hangers. He quickly unbent and connected them, creating a long, flexible tool. Fabian then bent one end into a hook that he could try to thread through the ring of the keys. The plan would require two people: one to guide the hanger under the door and the other to act as the "eyes," looking through the large window to give directions.

The first few attempts were unsuccessful. Every time the hook brushed against the ring of the keys, it would slip away without catching. After serval attempts of guiding Fabian’s wire tool close to the ring without success, I felt retrieving the keys using this wire tool method was virtually impossible. However, Fabian looked at retrieving the keys as a challenge to his intellect; thus, he didn’t give up. He revised his plan, deciding instead to hook the edge of the At a Glance Calendar’s insert that is used to support and protect the corners of the calendar. After hooking the vinyl corner of the insert, he carefully slid it towards the edge of the desk. He hoped that tilting the calendar at the edge of the desk would cause the keys to fall off into the trash can below.

With precision and patience, Fabian managed to hook the calendar’s vinyl insert corner and slid it to the desk’s edge. At the edge, he pulled down on the wire tool, and the keys slid down the face of the calendar and landed in the trash can. Now, the second phase of the plan began: retrieving the trash can. Fabian removed two wire hangers from his original tool, bent the remaining hangers into a new shape, and hooked it around the rim of the trash can. Slowly and carefully, he dragged the trash can across the carpeted floor towards the door. The process was painstakingly slow, due to the constant friction of the carpet threatening to tip over the can at any moment and spilling the contents on the floor.

If the trash can had tipped over, it would have significantly delayed the retrieval. With both the keys and trash spilling from the can, the keys would almost certainly have been hidden among the debris. The distance of the spill from the door would have made it difficult to control the tool, complicating the process of clearing the trash and exposing the keys for retrieval.

After a tense few minutes, Fabian finally brought the trash can close enough to the door. He tipped it gently, allowing the trash and the keys to slide forward. After brushing the trash aside with the tool, Fabian managed to look under the door and locate the keys. He again used the wire tool to hook the keys and carefully pull them under the door.

The Close

Relief washed over me as he held the keys in his hands. I was immensely grateful to Fabian for his ingenuity, patience, and calm demeanor during the crisis. Without Fabian’s help, I knew I would’ve been in serious trouble with my father. That could have been my first and only attempt to close the business without my father being present.

After retrieving the keys, Fabian dismantled the tool, reshaped the hangers, and returned them to the closet. We then proceeded to the final steps of securing the business. We locked all doors and windows, ensured that no vehicles remained in service areas, and set the security alarm. I shook Fabian’s hand and expressed my deep gratitude. “If there’s ever anything I can do for you in the future,” I said, “please don’t hesitate to ask. I owe you big time for this.”

With the business finally secure, I placed the money bag in the bank’s deposit box and headed home, grateful that Fabian had been there to guide me through my first—and almost disastrous—attempt to close the Dolphin Car Wash. I realized then that a simple act of kindness could transform someone's perspective, creating a ripple effect that inspires others to pay it forward. So, thank you again, Fabian, wherever you are today, for your generosity and support.