TOUCHES OF KEY WEST

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The Hemingway Look A Like Contest ran well into the evening saturday night. At Sloppy Joe’s. 131 contestants. Wally Collins, a Phoenix restaurateur won.

I do not know how many years Collins has been a contestant. The word on the street is it takes at least 10 years of participating before anyone is seriously considered. My friend Hank from Melbourne has been trying for 21 years. Has not made it yet!

Hemingway and Key West go hand in hand. He lived in Key West from 1931-39. Wrote To Have and Have Not and A Farewell to Arms while here. Worked on parts of other novels.

Tennessee Williams was another outstanding writer who made his home in Key West. From 1949-83, he lived at 1431 Duncan Street. One and a half blocks from where Lisa now lives. While visiting and not yet having settled in Key West, Williams wrote a first draft of A Streetcar Named Desire. He wrote it in 1947 while staying at the La Concha Hotel on Duval. The La Concha stands to this day.

During the Civil War, Florida seceded. Key West however remained in Union hands. The Union had a naval base and military personnel here.

A Conch today is a person who was born in Key West. A much respected designation. Those who came here to live but were not born in Key West, and have resided in Key West for seven years, are known as Freshwater Conchs.

The term Conch has a far deeper history. The first Conchs were persons of European ancestry who immigrated from the Bahamas. They came in increasing numbers beginning in the 1830’s.

By 1889, Key West was the largest and wealthiest city in Florida. The salt and salvage businesses though good were starting to decline. Cigar making was on the rise.

Key West was isolated prior to 1912. No railroad or highway. Water the only access. In 1912, Henry Flagler completed his railroad to Key West.  Flagler’s Overseas Railroad. Much of the railroad was destroyed by the Labor Day hurricane of 1935. It was never rebuilt.

US 1 was completed in 1938. A highway connecting Key West with mainland Florida. Called the Overseas Highway.

The one person close in Key West fame to Hemingway is Harry Truman. Truman spent a total of 175 days over a course of 11 visits while President. He stayed at a part of the Naval Base which is now Truman Annex. The building was known as the Little White House. It is now listed on the National Registry.

The Naval Base was first established in 1820. It remains to this day. Spread around and significantly smaller. At its strength, it had 15,000 military and 3,400 civilian personnel.

Cruise ships first docked in Key West at Mallory Square in 1984.

Key West is reputed to be the southernmost point in the United States. Close, but not actually. Ballast Key which is a privately owned island to the south and west of Key West is the southernmost point.

Cuba is a mere 90 miles from Key West. Closer than Miami which is 155 miles from Key West.

Hurricanes are always a concern. Yearly. Generally in the fall months. Though some on occasion a bit earlier. Wilma in 2005 and Georges in 1998 were the two worst hurricanes in recent years.

Hope you found these bits of information interesting.

Enjoy your day!

 

HEMINGWAY EVERYWHERE ONE LOOKS

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Getting out of the house yesterday started with a mid afternoon appointment with Dr. McIvor, my heart specialist.  I was almost an hour late. McIvor said you should not have worried…..it took me 45 minutes to get in from the hospital!

The Boulevard construction has us totally screwed up. Now only one lane each way into town. Yesterday’s problem was at the triangle at the end of US 1 and the beginning of Key West. They were rewiring and otherwise working on the triangle. Police trying to help. Directing traffic. It took me 40 minutes to travel 2.5 miles. From where I enter onto US 1 at Key Haven until I reach Key West.

Part of my examination was my blood pressure. The nurse took it. It was high. To be expected! Took it 15 minutes later and everything was ok. McIvor said I was in good shape…..see you in 3 months.

It was well after 5 by the time I left the doctor’s office. Headed over to Don’s Place. Enjoyed time with Jimmy and Joanie, Erika and Hershel, and Grant.

My next stop was downtown. Duval! I wanted to see how Hemingway Days was doing.

Everywhere I walked there was a Hemingway. More than 130 are entered in this year’s contest. There was one or more in every bar and on the streets. Sloppy Joe’s had quite a few holding court.

Hemingway was a bit of a drinker. Quite a bit. He also was a bit paunchy. Today’s Hemingway Days activities  besides drinking include two athletic events. A 5K race and a paddle boat race. Not Hemingwayish.

Most of the contestants actually look like Hemingway. Not just his famous beard. The paunch!

Today is the actual look a like contest. Sloppy Joe’s at 1. Today also the famous Run of the Bulls. A sight to see!

Soapbox time again! Something is bothering me.

The 50,00 plus children who immigrated here. Washington is not doing enough. The Republicans are bucking the President. In the meantime, the children are in a downward spiral situation. Katrina all over again.

Don’t believe me. Go to the internet and search through the many photos appearing of the children. A picture does say a thousand words. We should be ashamed!

Illness is creeping in. Some of the kids are not getting proper physicals or follow ups. More children will get sick. What ever the bugs, they will find their way into our lives.

We need a better system/organization to deal with the situation. Obama’s $3,7 billion request would help.

My grandfather came over from Italy at the age of 12 around 1910. Alone. He never knew his parents. He grew up alone on the streets of Naples. When he arrived at Ellis Island, he had some communicable disease. Typhus, I think. Though I am not sure. Ellis Island had a hospital. My grandfather was hospitalized for three months before he was permitted to enter the United States.

The 50,000 plus children are living in makeshift facilities without proper care. There are those trying to help. Trying soon will not be enough.

I became aware that Florida is starting to receive some of the children. The Governor and his people are concerned. About communicable diseases.

Today is the anniversary of Don’t ask, don’t tell. Clinton put it into effect in 1993. I thought he was crazy at the time. He was avoiding the issue. I have since changed my mind. He was correct. He sensed the country was not ready to accept gays. His program turned out to be a bridge to today. Smart guy, that Clinton!

Tomorrow is the anniversary of man stepping on the moon. July 20, 1969. Neil Armstrong. I shall never forget. The greatest happening in my 79 years.

Enjoy your day!

CHART ROOM LAST NIGHT…..HEMINGWAY AND OTHERS

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I wrote of Peter Anderson yesterday morning. Indicated he was ill and things did not look good. They were not. Peter passed away yesterday. Key West has lost one of its finest citizens and a most loved neighbor. May he rest in peace.

I started my yesterday with a gym visit. The first in ten days. Albert was waiting for me. The hour was grueling, especially since I had been away so long.

While Albert was abusing me, we talked about the children immigrating from Latin America. Albert shared an observation I had not considered. Imagine how bad/desperate things must be for parents to send their children off alone to the United States. How they must have scrapped, borrowed and perhaps stolen the $7,000 necessary to pay a coyote.

For two reasons. First, to make sure their children avoided the death and rape that might confront them if they remained at home. Second, for the better life America promised.

The Republicans in Congress make me sick. Almost to a person, they are opposed to the help the President wants to provide. Senator McCain was on television this morning saying in effect…..Put them on planes and send them back!

There is a child problem ongoing in South Sudan. Children are dying daily of malnutrition. A humanitarians crisis. Money needed from all over the world to help these children. The United States is doing its part. Last week, we sent $22 million. Total sent by the United States this year $456 million.

Where did this money come from? Was it part of a House bill? Was it appropriated? If we can help these kids on a foreign shore, why can’t we help the children who have made it to our shore?

It is all politics. Disgustingly so.

Dinner was with Lisa last night. The grandkids are away visiting their other grandparents.

Stopped at Don’s Place afterwards. Quiet. Chatted with Randy. Met a new person. Ann Marie. Lovely. Just got hired to work the outdoor bar at La Te Da. Good for her! A great job!

Then to the Chart Room for what turned put to be a big night.

I was supposed to meet Sheila. She was there. As was David, Jean Thornton and granddaughter Paris, and several others.

Friends Hank and Pat from Melbourne. I met Hank for the first time last year. He comes to Key West each year to participate in the Hemingway Look A Like contest. He has been doing it for 21 years. He is still waiting to win. Don’t know why he has not. He looks like Hemingway!

Dianne was back. Have not seen her in a year. She is a good friend of Sheila’s. Dianne is an artist from Champagne, Illinois.

A fellow sat next to me at the bar. There was an empty seat between us. He had white hair and beard. Looked like Hemingway! No question about it. I asked if he was in the contest. He gruffly said yes and then ignored me and everyone else, except for an occasional word or two with Emily. A most impolite individual. I hope he loses.

Billy and Cindy Schott showed up! Great people! Friends from Texas.

Billy and Cindy married in Key West in 2011 on Smathers Beach. They visit Key West frequently. This trip they are here till the end of August.

Billy has an interesting job. Something to do with college football and TV. His title is Big 12 Conference TV Liason.

Billy and Cindy know everyone. On the drive down to Key West, they stopped to visit their friend Kyle Chandler. I knew nothing of him, had never heard his name. Chandler is an actor. Has several featured roles in movies and television under his belt. He is presently starring with Sissy Spacek in the new television series being filmed in the upper keys. The show’s base of operations is Islamorada. Where they met up with and spent some time with their friend.

It was a big night at the Chart Room.

Enjoy your day!