I am alive and almost well. Blood pressure ok. My back has 20 per cent to go. However, the back is sufficiently better that I am able to move around experiencing only an occasional twinge of pain.

I am stir crazy. I have been confined to bed and home a few days. Have to get out! Tonight!

Today’s KONK Life E News Blast features a picture of one of Key West’s most beloved persons. Patrick Hayes, aka Patty Cakes. Patrick was at a charity fundraiser yesterday afternoon at Square One and shed his dreds to help with the fund raising. They were almost down to his butt. I will not say Patrick looked good in them. From my perspective, he did not. He was like a wild man from Borneo. I am glad they are gone. The Patrick I knew has returned!

Patrick is a good friend. For more than 20 years. He is also Lisa’s friend. Her best friend after her husband. Patrick is also unofficial godfather to Robert and Lisa. They know him well and love him, also.

Patrick tells the story that he came to Key West straight and ended up gay. He lived with Les for many years. Les made Patrick an honest person two years ago. They ran off to Iowa and married. I attended their wedding reception on Shark Key when they returned.

Patrick seems to have worked forever as Square One’s bartender. He is pure goodness and always available to lend a helping hand.

I am having dinner tonight at Square One. I look forward to seeing the new Patrick with normal hair.

On this day in 1956, Italian actress Anna Magnani won the Academy Award for Best Actress. The movie was The Rose Tattoo. The screenplay and movie were written by Tennessee Williams when he lived in Key West.

The Tennessee Williams’ home is on Duncan Street. Two blocks from Lisa’s home. A lovely well maintained house presently owned by my friend Evan Roberts.

The Rose Tattoo was filmed in Key West. Probably at Tennessee Williams’ insistence. The house it was filmed in is on the same block as the Tennessee Williams home. Williams is at one end and The Rose Tattoo home the other. The filming  took place in Key West and on the same block as Williams’ home probably for Williams’ convenience. All he had to do was roll out of bed in the morning and walk less than 100 yards to his place of work.

I do not believe Key West had anything to do with the movie. Magnani played a Sicilian widow. Her co-star, the great Burt Lancaster, a lusty truck driver.

Williams insisted Magnani have the starring role. He said at the time she was “…..the most explosive emotional actress of her generation.”

Burt Lancaster was one of the outstanding male actors of his day. His day being in my life time. He was a contemporary of Kirk Douglas who is still alive. Lancaster was a man’s man and played such roles. He died about 15 years ago. I was disappointed that many younger than me were not aware of who he was. How soon  a great can be forgotten!

The Rose Tattoo house has not been well maintained at all. Run down. Someone started renovating it two years ago. However, it appears the renovations stopped in their early stages.

Syracuse won its first game in the big tournament yesterday. Easily defeated Western Michigan 77-53. Tomorrow at 7, Dayton.

Notice how calm I am.

Enjoy your day!