MISS VIETNAM

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It was manicure time yesterday. Tammy at Lee Nails. Tammy has a new hairdo. Outstanding! Frames her lovely face perfectly.

I have always had a soft spot for Asian women. Why, I do not know. I find them attractive. Perhaps a bit mysterious.

Tammy is short and thin. Tiny better describes her stature. A sweet face to go along with a sweet disposition. A mere 32. Looks 18.

Tammy was lovely before her new hairdo. More so now. So good, I would label her Miss Vietnam!

I spent a good two hours at the Plantation Coffee House yesterday morning. Got involved in the New York papers. I find it relaxing to sit and sip and read. The atmosphere at the Coffee House is conducive to a quiet time experience.

Chart Room big last night! Key West continues to be packed. I feel sorry for the tourists. It has been 80 degrees for months. Now we are into our first week of cold. The weather does not keep the vacationers down. They are in the bars, restaurants and coffee houses having a good time. A simple change of venue for them from the beach to indoors.

There was a buzz in the Chart Room. CNBC was in town. Some reality show. No one knew exactly which one. I was told the show helps businesses. The show people were working with one of the key lime businesses.

Kevin sitting at the end of the bar. I enjoy his company. Sheila and Peter at the bar, also. Jim Cox was back. The last one whose ashes will be placed in the bar rail.

We talked about Jim’s Dad, Jim Cox also. He was a banker. Made money when the savings and loans went under in the 1980s. Retired thereafter in his 30s to Key West. Retirement bored him. As it did me. He went into business. He designed and had made a special men’s pants. Billowy, open on the sides. Attached to the pants was a whistle. Ergo, the pants were known as whistle pants. He sold them in stores. He would also ride around on his bicycle selling them on the streets.

The senior Jim Cox became known as Whistle Pants. Similar to my being known as Key West Lou. Mr. Cox’s name appears on the bar rail as Whistle Pants.

I met Sandy from Wichita, Kansas. She was looking for a book store. Wanted to get some local books to read. I directed her. Told her also about The World Upside Down. She was very interested. Wrote down for her that it could be ordered from Amazon.com and Barnesandnoble.com. I also recommended she read The Shack. She gave me the name of a book she thought I would enjoy reading.

I liked Sandy. Hope I run into Sandy and her husband again before they leave.

Dinner was at the Hot Tin Roof with Jim Cox. An enjoyable time. Talked of many things.

I had a simple meal. I did not wish to over eat. Shataki and mashed potatoes. Mashed potatoes at the Hot Tin Roof are special.

Big basketball this afternoon! Syracuse/Pittsburgh. Syracuse remains undefeated at 17-0. Pittsburgh has lost only one game and is 16-1. Syracuse will be tested as it was against Villanova a couple of weeks ago. Though Syracuse is a 7.5 point favorite, I am uncomfortable. I plan on watching the game at Don’s Place at 4.

Enjoy your day!

PETER MAX / CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS / TENNESSEE WILLIAMS

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What a combination! Peter Max, Christopher Columbus and Tennessee Williams! The three are totally unrelated. They just happened to come up for comment on the same day.

Peter Max will be in Key West this weekend. Exciting! I have three of his works. Used to have four. Gave one years ago to one of my daughters.

Max will be appearing on saturday and sunday at the De Rubeis Gallery at 511 Duval. See the man and his work! I hope to.

Tennessee Williams will be appearing. However, not live. He left us long ago.

Williams lived in Key West some 30-40 years. His Key West home was on Duncan, one block from Lisa’s. He is known for his writings. It is not the writings which bring him to our attention at this time. It is his paintings!

I did not know that Williams painted. He did in his later years. The Custom House presently has on exhibit of  his paintings. Another must to see!

While sitting at the Plantation Coffee House yesterday, it dawned on me how tourists dress when Key West is cold. They throw anything on that they can find. Nothing matches. They don’t care. Just trying to keep warm. None would ever dress that way back home.

Stopped first at Don’s Place last night. Enjoyed David and Jeff’s company. Grant showed up just as I was leaving. Briefly chatted with Jimmy. Joanie rebuked me for passing her by without saying hello. She was correct. It was not intentional. My mind was somewhere else. She gave me a kiss and hug after hollering at me.

Especially enjoyed my evening at the Chart Room. The place was packed. Locals and tourists. Emily earned her keep last night. She was moving!

Sheila, David and Peter were there, also. I like David. He keeps telling me we are going to play billiards together. I think he is just talk (not meant offensively). I can never pin him down for an actual game.

Jim Cox was at the Chart Room. I had met him some two years ago briefly. Last night, we talked for quite a while. He is an attorney who works in house for a Dallas bank. Capital One Bank. He had a court appearance in Key West on a mortgage foreclosure case.

Jim is important? Special? I am not sure how to describe his claim to fame. Simply stated, he is one of the two remaining persons who has a  hole ready in the Chart Room bar rail for his ashes when he dies. The other is Che. The rest are gone.

Jim’s Dad Jim is already there. The two are the only father/son combination.

I suspect Jim will be the last to make it. He is about 45 years old. Che is 80.

We got into my recently published book. The World Upside Down. I suspect he is going to buy it. I told him to check Amazon.com and Barnesandnoblecom.

I read in one of the New York papers this morning that the National Security Agency bugs and stores 2 million texts a day. A disgrace! What bothers me is very few seem upset with this sort of thing. It is part of the ongoing erosion of our freedoms. Once lost, they are difficult to get back.

I started working on this week’s KONK Life column. It is going to be about Christopher Columbus. Revealing. You will not believe what I will be sharing with you. Aristotle and Washington Irving are involved also.

Enjoy your day!