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                                                                    Exhibit 4.43


                                 PROMISSORY NOTE

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
PRINCIPAL       LOAN DATE       MATURITY        LOAN NO       CALL      COLLATERAL      ACCOUNT      OFFICER      INITIALS
---------       ---------       --------        -------       ----      ----------      -------      -------      --------
<S>             <C>             <C>             <C>           <C>       <C>             <C>          <C>          <C>
$500,000.00     05-23-2000      05-23-2005      62080751                                62080751     SJ

                      References in the shaded area are for Lender's use only and do not limit the
                             applicability of this document to any particular loan or item.
                    Any item above containing ***** has been omitted due to text length limitations.
</TABLE>

BORROWER: PODS, INC.                         LENDER:  Peoples Bank
          6061 45th Street North                      32845 U.S. Hwy 19
          St. Petersburg, FL 33714                    Palm Harbor, FL 34684-3123
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<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
<S>                                    <C>                             <C>
PRINCIPAL AMOUNT: $500,000.00          INITIAL RATE: 10.500%           DATE OF NOTE: MAY 23, 2000
</TABLE>

PROMISE TO PAY. PODS, INC. ("BORROWER") PROMISES TO PAY TO PEOPLES BANK
("LENDER"), OR ORDER, IN LAWFUL MONEY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, THE
PRINCIPAL AMOUNT OF FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND & 00/100 DOLLARS ($500,000.00),
TOGETHER WITH INTEREST ON THE UNPAID PRINCIPAL BALANCE FROM MAY 23, 2000, UNTIL
PAID IN FULL.

PAYMENT. SUBJECT TO ANY PAYMENT CHANGES RESULTING FROM CHANGES IN THE INDEX,
BORROWER WILL PAY THIS LOAN IN 60 PAYMENTS OF $10,786.46 EACH PAYMENT.
BORROWER'S FIRST PAYMENT IS DUE JUNE 23, 2000, AND ALL SUBSEQUENT PAYMENTS ARE
DUE ON THE SAME DAY OF EACH MONTH AFTER THAT. BORROWER'S FINAL PAYMENT WILL BE
DUE ON MAY 23, 2005, AND WILL BE FOR ALL PRINCIPAL AND ALL ACCRUED INTEREST NOT
YET PAID. PAYMENTS INCLUDE PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST. UNLESS OTHERWISE AGREED OR
REQUIRED BY APPLICABLE LAW, PAYMENTS WILL BE APPLIED FIRST TO ACCRUED UNPAID
INTEREST, THEN TO PRINCIPAL, AND ANY REMAINING AMOUNT TO ANY UNPAID COLLECTION
COSTS AND LATE CHARGES. THE ANNUAL INTEREST RATE FOR THIS NOTE IS COMPUTED ON A
365/360 BASIS; THAT IS, BY APPLYING THE RATIO OF THE ANNUAL INTEREST RATE OVER A
YEAR OF 360 DAYS, MULTIPLIED BY THE OUTSTANDING PRINCIPAL BALANCE, MULTIPLIED BY
THE ACTUAL NUMBER OF DAYS THE PRINCIPAL BALANCE IS OUTSTANDING. Borrower will
pay Lender at Lender's address shown above or at such other place as Lender may
designate in writing.

VARIABLE INTEREST RATE. The interest rate on this Note is subject to change from
time to time based on changes in an Independent Index which is the Wall Street
Journal Prime Rate (the "Index"). The Index is not necessarily the lowest rate
charged by lender on its loans. If the Index becomes unavailable during the term
of this loan, Lender may designate a substitute Index after notice to Borrower.
Lender will tell Borrower the current Index rate upon Borrower's request. The
interest rate change will not occur more often than each day. Borrower
understands that Lender may make loans based on other rates as well. The Index
currently is 9.500% per annum. THE INTEREST RATE TO BE APPLIED TO THE UNPAID
PRINCIPAL BALANCE OF THIS NOTE WILL BE AT A RATE OF 1,000 PERCENTAGE POINT OVER
THE INDEX, RESULTING IN AN INITIAL RATE OF 10.500% PER ANNUM. NOTICE: Under no
circumstances will the effective rate of interest on this Note be more than the
maximum rate allowed by applicable law. Whenever increases occur in the interest
rate, Lender, at its option, may do one or more of the following: (A) Increase
Borrower's payments to ensure Borrower's loan will pay off by its original final
maturity date, (B) Increase Borrower's payments to cover accruing interest, (C)
Increase the number of Borrower's payments, and (D) continue Borrower's payments
at the same amount and Increase Borrower's final payment.

PREPAYMENT. Borrower may pay without penalty all or a portion of the amount owed
earlier than it is due. Early payments will not, unless agreed to by Lender in
writing, relieve Borrower of Borrower's obligation to continue to make payments
under the payment schedule. Rather, early payments will reduce the principal
balance due and may result in Borrower's making fewer payments. Borrower agrees
not to send Lender payments marked "paid in full", "without recourse", or
similar language. If Borrower sends such a payment, Lender may accept it without
losing any of Lender's rights under this Note, and Borrower will remain
obligated to pay any further amount owed to Lender. All written communications
concerning disputed amounts, including any check or other payment instrument
that indicates that the payment constitutes "payment in full" of the amount owed
or that is tendered with other conditions or limitations or as full satisfaction
of a disputed amount must be mailed or delivered to: Peoples Bank, 32845 U.S.
Hwy 19, Palm Harbor, FL 34684-3123.

LATE CHARGE. If a payment is 10 days or more late, Borrower will be charged
5.000% of the regularly scheduled payment.

INTEREST AFTER DEFAULT. Upon default, including failure to pay upon final
maturity, Lender, at its option, may, if permitted under applicable law,
increase the variable interest rate on this Note to 18.000% per annum, if and to
the extent that the increase does not cause the interest rate to exceed the
maximum rate permitted by applicable law.

DEFAULT. Each of the following shall constitute an event of default ("Event of
Default") under this Note:

         PAYMENT DEFAULT. Borrower fails to make any payment when due under this
         Note.

         OTHER DEFAULTS. Borrower fails to comply with or to perform any other
         term, obligation, covenant or condition contained in this Note or in
         any of the related documents or to comply with or to perform any term,
         obligation, covenant or condition contained in any other agreement
         between Lender and Borrower.

         FALSE STATEMENTS. Any warranty, representation or statement made or
         furnished to Lender by Borrower or on Borrower's behalf under this Note
         or the related documents is false or misleading in any material
         respect, either now or at the time made or furnished or becomes false
         or misleading at any time thereafter.

         INSOLVENCY. The dissolution or termination of Borrower's existence as a
         going business, the Insolvency of Borrower, the appointment of a
         receiver for any part of Borrower's property, any assignment for the
         benefit of creditors, any type of creditor workout, or the commencement
         of any proceeding under any bankruptcy or Insolvency laws by or against
         Borrower.

         CREDITOR OR FORFEITURE PROCEEDINGS. Commencement of foreclosure or
         forfeiture proceedings, whether by judicial proceeding, self-help,
         repossession or any other method, by any creditor of Borrower or by any
         governmental agency against any collateral securing the loan. This
         includes a garnishment of any of Borrower's accounts, including deposit
         accounts, with Lender. However, this Event of Default shall not apply
         if there is a good faith dispute by Borrower as to the validity or
         reasonableness of the claim which is the basis of the creditor or
         forfeiture proceeding and if Borrower gives Lender written notice of
         the creditor or forfeiture proceeding and deposits with Lender monies
         or a surety bond for the creditor or forfeiture proceeding, in an
         amount determined by Lender, in its solo discretion, as being an
         adequate reserve or bond for the dispute.

         EVENTS AFFECTING GUARANTOR. Any of the preceding events occurs with
         respect to any Guarantor of any of the Indebtedness or any Guarantor
         dies or becomes incompetent, or revokes or disputes the validity of, or
         liability under, any guaranty of the Indebtedness. In the event of a
         death, Lender, at its option, may, but shall not be required to, permit
         the Guarantor's estate to assume unconditionally the obligations
         arising under the guaranty in a manner satisfactory to Lender, and, in
         doing so, cure any Event of Default.

         CHANGE IN OWNERSHIP. Any change in ownership to twenty-five percent
         (25%) or more of the common stock of Borrower.

         ADVERSE CHANGE. A material adverse change occurs in Borrower's
         financial condition, or Lender believes the prospect of payment or
         performance of this Note is impaired.

         INSECURITY. Lender in good faith believes itself insecure.

         CURE PROVISIONS. If any default, other than a default in payment, is
         curable and if Borrower has not been given a notice of a breach of the
         same
<PAGE>   2
                                PROMISSORY NOTE                           PAGE 2
                                  (CONTINUED)

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         provision of this Note within the preceding twelve (12) months, it may
         be cured (and no event of default will have occurred) if Borrower,
         after receiving written notice from Lender demanding cure of such
         default: (1) cures the default within ten (10) days; or (2) if the cure
         requires more than ten (10) days, immediately initiates steps which
         Lender deems in Lender's sole discretion to be sufficient to cure the
         default and thereafter continues and completes all reasonable and
         necessary steps sufficient to produce compliance as soon as reasonably
         practical.

LENDER'S RIGHTS. Upon default, Lender may declare the entire unpaid principal
balance on this Note and all accrued unpaid interest immediately due, and then
Borrower will pay that amount.

ATTORNEYS' FEES; EXPENSES. Lender may hire or pay someone else to help collect
the loan if Borrower does not pay. Borrower will pay Lender the amount of these
costs and expenses, which includes, subject to any limits under applicable law,
Lender's reasonable attorneys' fees and Lender's legal expenses whether or not
there is a lawsuit, including reasonable attorneys' fees and legal expenses for
bankruptcy proceedings (including efforts to modify or vacate any automatic stay
or injunction), and appeals. If not prohibited by applicable law, Borrower also
will pay any court costs, in addition to all other sums provided by law.

JURY WAIVER. Lender and Borrower hereby waive the right to any jury trial in any
action, proceeding, or counterclaim brought by either Lender or Borrower against
the other.

GOVERNING LAW. THIS NOTE WILL BE GOVERNED BY, CONSTRUED AND ENFORCED IN
ACCORDANCE WITH FEDERAL LAW AND THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA. THIS NOTE HAS
BEEN ACCEPTED BY LENDER IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA.

CHOICE OF VENUE. If there is a lawsuit, Borrower agrees upon Lender's request to
submit to the jurisdiction of the courts of Pinellas County, State of Florida.

RIGHT OF SETOFF. To the extent permitted by applicable law, Lender reserves a
right of setoff in all Borrower's accounts with Lender (whether checking,
savings, or some other account). This includes all accounts Borrower holds
jointly with someone else and all accounts Borrower may open in the future.
However, this does not include any IRA or Keogh accounts, or any trust accounts
for which setoff would be prohibited law. Borrower authorizes Lender, to the
extent permitted by applicable law, to charge or setoff all sums owing on the
indebtedness against any and all such accounts.

COLLATERAL. Borrower acknowledges this Note is secured by a Security Agreement
and UCC-1 Financing Statement from PODS, INC. to Peoples Bank dated May 23,
2000.

SUCCESSOR INTERESTS. The terms of this Note shall be binding upon Borrower, and
upon Borrower's heirs, personal representatives, successors and assigns, and
shall inure to the benefit of Lender and Lender's successors and assigns.

GENERAL PROVISIONS. If any part of this Note cannot be enforced, this fact will
not affect the rest of the Note. Borrower does not agree or intend to pay, and
Lender does not agree or intend to contract for, charge, collect, take, reserve
or receive (collectively referred to herein as "charge or collect"), any amount
in the nature of interest or in the nature of a fee for this loan, which would
in any way or event (including demand, prepayment, or acceleration) cause Lender
to charge or collect more for this loan than the maximum Lender would be
permitted to charge or collect by federal law or the law of the State of Florida
(as applicable). Any such excess interest or unauthorized fee shall, instead of
anything stated to the contrary, be applied first to reduce the principal
balance of this loan, and when the principal has been paid in full, be refunded
to Borrower. Lender may delay or forgo enforcing any of its rights or remedies
under this Note without losing them. Borrower and any other person who signs,
guarantees or endorses this Note, to the extent allowed by law, waive
presentment, demand for payment, and notice of dishonor. Upon any change in the
terms of this Note, and unless otherwise expressly stated in writing, no party
who signs this Note, whether as maker, guarantor, accommodation maker or
endorser, shall be released from liability. All such parties agree that Lender
may renew or extend (repeatedly and for any length of time) this loan or release
any party or guarantor or collateral; or impair, fail to realize upon or perfect
Lender's security interest in the collateral; and take any other action deemed
necessary by Lender without the consent of or notice to anyone. All such parties
also agree that Lender may modify this loan without the consent of or notice to
anyone other than the party with whom the modification is made. The obligations
under this Note are joint and several.

PRIOR TO SIGNING THIS NOTE, BORROWER READ AND UNDERSTOOD ALL THE PROVISIONS OF
THIS NOTE, INCLUDING THE VARIABLE INTEREST RATE PROVISIONS. BORROWER AGREES TO
THE TERMS OF THE NOTE.

BORROWER ACKNOWLEDGES RECEIPT OF A COMPLETED COPY OF THIS PROMISSORY NOTE.

THIS NOTE IS GIVEN UNDER SEAL AND IT IS INTENDED THAT THIS NOTE IS AND SHALL
CONSTITUTE AND HAVE THE EFFECT OF A SEALED INSTRUMENT ACCORDING TO LAW.

BORROWER:


PODS, INC.

BY:                                                (SEAL)
   ------------------------------------------------
   PETER S. WARHURST, PRESIDENT OF PODS, INC.

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