STOCKING SHELVES IN SUPER MARKET

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It was October 3, 1951. I was 16 years old, a junior in high school. My after school job was working in a super market. That day, stocking shelves.

Professional baseball was big back then. The fan base equivalent or better than pro football and basketball combined. Truly at that time, the All-American sport.

The National League had ended in a tie. The New York Giants and Brooklyn Dodgers. Both teams long gone from New York City today having moved west.

The supermarket owner permitted the game to be broadcast over the loudspeaker system.

The Dodgers were favored. They had led the League. New York was 13.5 games behind in August. Then won 16 straight.

The bottom of the 9th. Dodgers winning 4-2. One out. Giants batting. Bobby Thomson at the plate. A respected hitter. Ralph Branca had come in as relief pitcher for the Dodgers. A respected pitcher.

Willie Mays was in the batter’s circle. A rookie. It was thought Branca would walk Thomson to get at the still inexperienced Mays.

He did not. He pitched to Thomson. There were 2 men on base. Thomson hit a home run.

Everyone went crazy! All over the U.S. In the super market. I went crazy. The sports announcer went crazy.

Thomson’s home run is described as “the shot heard round the world.” The event one of the most memorable in sports history.

New York went on to be defeated by the New York Yankees in the World Series.

My podcast last night. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Love doing the show! Began with my concern for the U.S. I believe we are disintegrating as a nation.

Tonight, the Blue Macaw. Terri sings!

My girl! Love her! Admire her!

It dawned on me this morning that October means Goombay and Fantasy Fest. The end of the month. Something to look forward to. Both different flavors. Both enjoyable.

I wrote the other day about the mosquito danger in North Carolina. Too much water. Mosquitoes coming out big time. Could be illness causing. An epidemic possible.

Someone commented and asked what about Big Pine and surrounding areas following Irma last year. Good question! Never gave it a thought.

I tried to get a hold of the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District for first hand information. They apparently operate like Comcast. I am still waiting for a response.

I am assuming both areas suffered a different impact.

Note that mosquitoes are a major south Florida concern. Especially in the Keys. We have a Florida Keys Mosquito Control District headed by an elected Board. Many employees. Planes to spray. Vehicles to spray.

Standing water for many days was not a major concern following Irma. Our flooding was different from North Carolina’s. The Keys’ concern was debris standing on the side of roads for miles and miles. The wet debris and humidity that followed made the debris a breeding place.

Mosquito District personnel were out immediately searching for new breeding pockets. They dealt with the problem immediately.

I am not aware of any significant mosquito problem as a result.

A job well done.

North Carolina on the other hand was hot with floods. Big time. Ten to 20 feet in height. Some lasting 10 days or more.

As the water receded, most of North Carolina became a major breeding ground for mosquitoes.

I assume the State is involved with the problem and dealing with it at this point.

Whether North Carolina was as prepared as the Keys is another story.

“If it don’t fit, you must acquit.” Famous words from the O. J. Simpson murder trial.

A glove was a key piece of evidence. The prosecution had Simpson try the glove on during the trial He could not get it on. Too small. Too tight.

What no one seem to have picked up on at the time was that the glove had become wet and shrunk. Whatever, it was one of Simpson’s passages to an acquittal. The jury acquitted him this day in 1995.

Saturday coming up. Syracuse/Pitt. Syracuse a 5 point favorite.

Enjoy your day!

MOSQUITO CONTROL BOARD OUT OF CONTROL

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The Florida Keys Mosquito Control District. A pompous sounding name. Most refer to it as the Mosquito Control Board. I will.

Pomposity is not in name alone. I am beginning to think it applies to Board members. All elected to their positions. Ergo, directly answerable to the people. Something they seem to have forgotten.

I say VOTE THEM OUT! All of them.

The board recently passed a new policy. Any information re Zeka, dengue fever and other tropical diseases are not to be discussed by Board members till the State Health Department has confirmed a case first. Even then, the Board’s attorney has approval/disapproval power.

Stupid!

People have a right to know. Especially where health issues are involved. What happened to transparency.

The Zeka battle has left Board members shell shocked. Their own fault. They have been handling the Zeka problem in a ridiculous fashion.

Top employees are well paid. The Executive Director receives $135,000 a year. My admonition: Don’t screw with the public. You are placing your job on the line.

The Board decided it needed a new building. Last year at this time, the Board was advised the building would cost $2.4 million. Not making a decision, the price has jumped $2 million in one year to $4.4 million. Not understandable in itself.

Yesterday, the Board approved a 45 percent increase in property taxes to pay for the new building. Forty five percent!!!

My yesterday began with the anti-gravity treadmill. Jenny encouraging. Body Owners helpful. I stayed at a lower speed for 30 minutes. A slight step backward. However, it was all I thought I could handle.

Then to Verizon wireless. The Verizon store in the Winn Dixie Shopping Plaza.

Lesson #2 in learning how to use my new telephone. Got it six months ago. A total disaster for me!

I visited the store recently and told the young lady behind the counter that I had the new phone, bought it from them six months ago, could not use it. Needed help. Could they help? I was willing to pay. Or direct me to someone I could hire to teach me.

Her name, Nana Hernandez. Her title, Wireless Professional. She said I will teach you and it will cost you nothing. Yesterday was help/lesson #2. A step at a time. She is patient. We have a schedule. Three times a week. In a month, I will be a terror!

Dinner last night at Hot Tin Roof with Frances and Chris. Interesting people. Fun. They return up north today and will not be back till the Fall.

This afternoon research for this week’s KONK Life column. Research will be completed today. I will write the column tomorrow.

About bagels. For real. An interesting history yesterday and today.

What a change in subject matter! Last week’s article was about the new prostitution.

Four more people approached me yesterday about the Prostitution column. All women. Forty to 60 years in age. Probably mothers and grandmothers. Without deviation, all consider the new prostitution deplorable.

Big day for Hemingway Days! Running of the Bulls and the Hemingway Look A-Like Contest. Makes for a great afternoon.

Immigration a problem almost everywhere. Great Britain hit over the years big time with hordes of immigrants.

A recent study indicates the British people are becoming a minority in their own country. 2015 birth rates show 3.2 immigrant babies born for every 1.8 British babies. Just a question of time.

The five leading immigrant groups in order of their numbers are the Polish, Pakistanis, Indians, Bangladeshis, and Nigerians.

Enjoy your day!