FROM THE FORWARD
ABOUT TEN YEARS AGO I BECAME ACQUAINTED WITH CLINT ORMS, A BUCKLE MAKER FROM HOUSTON, TEXAS. As OUR FRIENDSHIP GREW AND I LEARNED MORE AND MORE ABOUT CLINT AND HIS BUSINESS, I WAS SHOCKED. AT FIRST, I THOUGHT THAT PEOPLE BOUGHT A BUCKLE FOR ABOUT ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS. I HAD NO IDEA THAT PEOPLE OFTEN SPEND MORE THAN TWENTY THOUSAND DOLLARS ON A BELT BUCKLE. CLINT HAS MANY CUSTOMERS WHO COLLECT BUCKLES. THEY ORDER ONE OR TWO CUSTOM-MADE BUCKLES EVERY YEAR, SOMETIMES SPENDING TEN TO TWELVE THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR EACH ONE. SOMETIMES A CUSTOMER WILL BUY ONE FOR HIMSELF, A MATCHING ONE FOR HIS WIFE, AND ONE FOR EACH CHILD. |
