VOODOO

I mentioned Italy’s immigration problem in yesterday’s blog. Based on personal observation and as reported to me by my friend Anna who lives in Novara. Novara is near Milan.

Anna reads this blog everyday. She responded to yesterday’s blog with a long e-mail. I share excerpts from it. Italy’s immigration problem is different from ours in certain regards.

Italy’s immigrants are primarily from Africa.

“Italy is going down and down…..March the 4th election: right wing will win. Italy is fed up with politicians, mainly of the present government, democrats who packed Italy of immigrants mainly negros and mainly crooks, delinquents. It seems some do voodoo rites!!! Last week in Macerata negros killed, in a flat, an 18 year old girl, chopped her body with knives and machetes, washed them putting the pieces in 2 suitcases and abandoning them faraway in the country. But there was not her heart and bowels!!! Eaten??? A voodoo rite??? Soon after, a crazy white young man in order to revenge the girl, went around downtown Macerata and shot 6 negros injuring them seriously. I could go on…..”

Anna’s husband died several years ago. He served as a national Senator for years and then 8 years as a member of the Prime Minister’s Cabinet. At one time, she sent me a photo of her husband and Gorbachev their heads joined together in what appeared to be a serious conversation.

Spent a couple of hours at the Chart Room last night. John bartending.

Lovely Morgan at the bar. My charming 26 year old friend. A big hug. We talked alone at the round table for two hours.

An amazing young lady. Whoever is fortunate to win her over is going to get a great wife. She’s a keeper!

Friend Sandie at the bar. She introduced me to her visiting friend Janie from Philadelphia. Go Eagles!

As I was leaving, ran into Devon at the bar. I see Devon about once a year. A farmer from the midwest. Owns a condo in Key West.

Devon is a smart farmer. He and his brother own a huge farm. They did not fight the big corporations that entered the agriculture business. They joined them! Happy they are. The right move. They have prospered.

Diana Millikan is off somewhere. She travels the world. She e-mailed me yesterday. One of her Hilton Haven Road neighbors told her there were gun shots around 4:30 in the morning. There were. This morning’s Citizen reports a man staying at the Banana Bay Resort was shot in the leg.

No arrests yet.

Irma hit September 10. Its effects still with us.

The canals remain impacted with house, boat and tree debris. Non-navigable. Nearshore waters, likewise.

Monroe County has entered into a $6 million contract with Florida’s Department of Environmental Protection to begin a clean up.

Many still are without homes. The homes either completely destroyed or the owners do not have funds yet to rebuild. FEMA and the insurance companies have been unreasonably slow in making payments.

These people have to live somewhere. Some in tents. Others in hotels. FEMA announced yesterday that they would extend hotel time at FEMA’s expense another month till March 3. There will be further monthly extensions. This part of the Irma problem not being resolved.

Mom’s Tea Room. I have written several times about Mom’s Tea Room. A Key West house of prostitution. Alice Reid the madam.

On this day in 1941, the body of working girl Cecilia Thompson Trunk was found in Mom’s. An apparent suicide. On the same day in 1952, another body found. Rita Brown, an apparent suicide also.

Mom’s was a busy place. A big U.S. Navy clientele. The Navy had many stationed here. The Navy did not like Alice or Mom’s. Morality and venereal disease the reasons. They closed Reid’s place a couple of times. A smart woman, however. She would pop up in another location. Closed finally in the 1950’s, never to open again.

Same sex marriage. Its time had come. The world accepting/falling into place. One nation at a time. Till now.

Bermuda reverted.

Bermuda’s law recognizing same sex marriage was less than one year old. Bermuda’s President signed a new law yesterday banning same sex marriage. A reversal. A win for bigotry.

Those of the same sex can live together with all the same rights and benefits as if married. The new relationship called a domestic partnership. The title married neither available nor recognized.

Have to hustle. A haircut with Lori at noon.

Enjoy your day!

 

LEAGUE BOCCE PARTY FUN

Big night! Last evening the League Bocce Party. Fifty six teams, 500 plus players.

The event was at the rooftop of the Waterfront Restaurant. Three stories up. What a view! The whole harbor!

The rooftop is going to be a special restaurant. It will be magnificent. Can’t miss. As long as the food is good and reasonable also.

The place not yet finished. Probably will not have a formal opening till the Fall.

A bunch of us taxied over from Don’s Place. Don, David, Stan, Clare, Donna, Mary and me.

Saw old friends. Made some new ones.

Nancy is a loyal fan of this blog. Reads it daily. I am ashamed to admit I have met Nancy only two times. The first time at last year’s League Bocce Party at the Waterfront. She sought me out to introduce herself and compliment the blog.

Instantaneous love! Me for her.

Nancy introduced me to her husband Carl that evening. Carl commutes back and forth from New York City. He is an anesthesiologist.

Nancy and Carl were at the party last night. Nancy called me over. I am ashamed to admit I did not recognize her. Mea culpa. I chatted with Nancy, Carl and their two friends a while.

One friend was Phil. He is a vacation rental concierge with Historic Key West Rentals. The other, Krizia.

Krizia has an interesting job. She is a meteorologist. Works at the big weather building on White Street. She is not the lady on TV. She works studying, plotting, and determining the weather, danger spots, hurricanes, tropical storms, etc. Pen and pencil in hand.

I spent yesterday afternoon researching next week’s KONK Life column. I will write the column this afternoon. It hits the stands wednesday.

Recent columns have been on the heavy side. Two on heroin. Another about America losing its promise. It was time for a change of pace. Something  relatively light. Interesting also.

The title: Corn Flakes…..Cure For Masturbation.

A winner!

A strange day ahead weather wise. Krizia, please note my projection.

I woke early this morning. It was gray. Sat down to do this blog and all of a sudden big noise! The weather had changed dramatically. Raining big time, wind howling, palm trees bent. Just like that it began. Ten minutes later, it stopped. Sun came out. Everything was calm. Nothing moving.

The calm before the storm. I understand Key West is in for some severe weather beginning this afternoon. Heavy rain. Wind with gusts up to 30 mph.

Today a memorable one in the career of Elvis Presley. The year 1956. Presley already a phenomena. He was appearing this date on the Arthur Godfrey Show. Heartbreak Hotel was Presley’s #1 hit at the time.

Many thought Presley’s style was sinful. Including the Church. Ergo, when Presley appeared on TV, he was only shot from the chest up. His famous gyrating hip movements not shown.

That night on Arthur Godfrey, the full Presley was shot. Scandalous hips and all. To Hound Dog.

Time changes things. The dancing by Presley in 1956 is what people dance to today. Well, most. I have not yet. A coward.

Enjoy your Sunday!

 

 

 

BREAKWELL AND ROUSH THE BEST!

The Waterfront Playhouse’s fund raiser at the San Carlos last night a hit! It could not miss! Laurie Breakwell and Vicki Roush entertained. Their singing representative of the best Key West has to offer.

I stopped at La Concha for their happy hour before the show. Sliders and flat bread. A half block from the San Carlos.

A private party afterwards at Mangoes. Opted not to attend. I was not in the mood for a crowd. Stopped back at La Concha for a night cap and then home.

The weather sucks! No other way to describe it. Cold and rainy. Rain and strong winds comparable to a monsoon. Long pants, slicker and an umbrella time.

Sixties during the night. Tonight in the high 50s. At the moment, the winds are driving right into and through my bedroom wall. Cold projected through friday.

Key West enjoys a variety of crimes. Those with an odd twist are reported daily in the Key West Citizen. Page 2, under the title Crime Report. This morning’s a bit different.

Told of a woman who lost her driver’s license. She was walking from her home on Eisenhower to see the sunset. She put her driver’s license and a credit card in her bra. The credit car made the trip. The driver’s license did not. She called the police to report it missing.

Such was the “crime” of the day.

Florida’s state capital is Tallahassee. Tallahassee is located at the northern end of Florida. Key West, the south. Many miles apart.

I sometimes wonder if State officials ever make their way to Key West. I think Key West is considered by them as a Siberian outpost.

US 1 is the State’s responsibility. A State road.

The State took three years to redo Northern Boulevard in Key West. Northern Boulevard is US 1. The State screwed up as to crossing points for pedestrians. No lights, except for one yellow blinking one. Problem is it blinks all the time. Even when no one crossing..

Accidents guaranteed. A pedestrian death to occur.

Key West wants a button and a red light. The State says nothing needed. They did a good job in the first instance. However to satisfy local clamor, they will add a button and blinking yellow lights.

Assholes!

The State official involved should visit Key West and try to cross Northern Boulevard at different times of the day. His life will be in danger!

Super Bowl tonight! I will be watching at a private party of two.

On this day in 1964, the Beatles landed in New York. Two days later on February 9, they appeared on the Ed Sullivan show. Seventy two million watched them on TV.

It was a moment in American musical history.

Money/value was different in those days. The Beatles signed to appear on three Ed Sullivan shows for a grand package of $10,000.

The Beatles made it to Key West later in the year. They were flying to Jacksonville and had to put down in Key West to avoid Hurricane Dora. They stayed at a Southern Boulevard motel.

It is reported that after the Beatles left, people were going onto the property to fill small bottles of water from the pool the Beatles swam in.

Between this morning and late afternoon, i will be writing this week’s KONK Life column. A Li’l Abner introduction. Joe Btfspik and the cloud always over his head.

Enjoy your Sunday!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JENNA

Jenna’s birthday yesterday! Happy birthday once again dear friend.

I attended a birthday party yesterday afternoon for Jenna. Fun! Many women. Young and a bit older. All knockouts regardless of age. The younger were Miss Americas and the ones a bit older Mrs. Americas.

Several publishers and writers also.

The people and conversations enjoyable.

Jenna with her usual joy and exuberance enjoyed everything! Ah, to be young again!

Don’s Place was down the block from the party. Stopped in. Glad I did. Tino was there. He and wife Maria are visiting for two weeks. Old friends from Chicago.

Tom with Tino. We had a drink and chatted a while.

Nate was bartending. I had not seen him in several months. Nate is one of Key West’s best people. Plus, an outstanding golfer! I played in a scramble with him once. My team had it easy. Nate drove just short of the green. All we had to do was chip on.

We won the scramble.

I decided to stay in last night. Glad I did. I am a movie freak. I love movies, especially old ones. Last night was a double header. A Farewell To Arms followed by Casablanca. A movie lover’s dream evening.

I felt connected watching A Farewell to Arms. The book was written by Ernest Hemingway. The area in northern Italy where the movie was shot and the story took place was very familiar. Especially the lake. I have been fortunate to have visited several times.

Today’s Key West Citizen notes that on this date in 1964, the Beatles gave their first American performance on the Ed Sullivan Show. We all watched, me included.

It is amazing how if you live long enough, you feel as if you are a part of history. Merely by having been alive at the time something took place.

Another police story. This one takes place in Sheffield, England.

An officer operated a police helicopter. A big plane with all sorts of up to date equipment. Similar to a helicopter the military now gives local police departments in the United States. The plane was equipped with a thermal imaging camera.

England has a special sex sport. It is called dogging. Public sex. In the woods, off roads, etc. The women strip and generally are available to whoever might want them.

While the officer was on duty flying the helicopter, he filmed the dogging activity. Then he would take the film home for viewing by he and his wife. They are now in a divorce proceeding. The wife is mad at her soon to be ex husband. She reported to his superiors the film taking. The officer is now suspended.

Many lessons to be learned from the story. Think about it.

Enjoy your day!