IRMA AFTERMATH

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Irma came, did her thing, and left. She left behind ruination, despair and hope.

How things stand today.

I drove down Duval yesterday. From the Gulf to the Atlantic. Not a pretty sight. Most storefronts and buildings still boarded. Physical damage on a varying scale to some buildings.

The most significant observation was the desolation. Few on the street. Very few. Like death had visited.

The bars are starting to open. Rick’s, Sloppy Joe’s, Irish Kevin’s, the Bull, and Jack Flats. More employees than customers. Except for the gay bars in mid Duval. Bourbon Street and 801. Packed.

There was a FEMA truck on Duval. Handing out food packages. Only the minority community evident.

I mentioned the FEMA sign up tents behind the Simonton fire station yesterday. Only minorities evident there. It appears we have left racial/ethnic groups behind. Same as Katrina. Not in assistance today. Rather in becoming part of the American dream.

A cruise ship coming in today. Why? Key West today not the Key West of yesterday. Key West needs time to recuperate. Downtown looks like hell.

Three more cruise ships expected this week.

Some say we have to get business going again. Bring the cruise ships in! Locals need to work. Rent is due the first of the month. Only one week away.

I spent yesterday afternoon resting. Actually, sleeping. The return drive killed me. Just as the drive to Birmingham had. My 82 years very evident in the tiredness I am experiencing.

Hit the Chart Room first last night. First time the Chart Room has been open since Irma.

I was the sixth person to arrive. An hour later when I left, I was the only customer remaining.

Shawn bartending.

Peter Petro manages 40 properties. One is the home I live in. I have been bugging the man ever since Irma was on the horizon. Even now since I have returned. Cleanup time. I am a tenant, not an owner. A wonderful experience!

Peter does his job well, even though I am a bit too anxious at times.

Peter was at the Chart Room when I arrived. With his wife Rebecca who I met for the first time. A nice lady.

Rebecca marries people in Key West. She is a Notary and notaries are permitted to do so. In fact, most marriages performed in Key West are by a Notary such as Rebecca. Rebecca also performs live theater at the Red Barn. She is featured in a show opening next month.

Then to Don’s Place to watch the Syracuse/LSU game. Don, David, Stan and Claire there.

Sitting next to me watching the game were Troy and Jenny. Troy a die hard Michigan fan. He was watching Michigan on one screen as I was watching Syracuse on the one next to it.

Syracuse looked good the first half. Gave up 10 points they should not have. Still in the game, however. Syracuse defense played well.

LSU got another touchdown at the beginning of the second half. Syracuse was basically 3 touchdowns behind. I viewed it as the beginning of the end. Went home to bed.

Never even tried to find out the final score till this morning. Syracuse came back. Sort of. Final score had LSU winning 35-26. A late 4th quarter LSU touchdown led to LSU’s 35 points.

Syracuse was a 23 point underdog going into the game. Syracuse played well. They did better than LSU stat wise. Note LSU was a ranked team going into the game.

This is not going to be a Syracuse year. Better than most in recent years I suspect. Perhaps glory will return a few years from now. It has been a long time.

Yesterday was the first day Don’s was open its full hours.

Ice is a problem all over town. Bar owners and restaurants are running all over looking for some to buy.

Our animal and fish friends are of concern also.

A Sugarloaf homeowner was looking out his window. Thought he saw a porpoise stranded in the mangroves. Called the Sheriff’s Office, who in turn contacted Wildlife Conservation and the dolphin hospital Dolphin Plus.

Representatives of all three groups hurried to the scene and effected a rescue. Two veterinarians involved. They waded out to the porpoise. A female. Slightly burned from the sun. Otherwise, ok. Carried her to deeper water and let her go.

I received a red flag call this morning from Jeanne H. Stevenson. Not a Key Wester. Her sister Anne is, however. She can’t reach Anne. Concerned. Wants to know if I could help.

Anne sells newspapers outside the church. All I was told about her.

Anyone having any information re Anne, please let me know so I can convey it on to her sister.

Key West’s curfew was lifted yesterday. Stay out all night folks!

The remainder of the Keys still have curfews.

Comcast making progress. A step at a time. Too little from my perspective. I had TV when I returned home last night. Still no land line or wi-fi.

Sloan due soon. A ton of catch up work to do.

Enjoy your Sunday!

IRMA AN EXPERIENCE

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Hi! I am alive and well!

An interesting trip. I write to you this morning from my room on the 39th floor of a Marriott in downtown Atlanta.

Irma scared me. Strange because I have been in Key West for years. For some I stayed, others left. Learned you can handle with no trouble up to a 2. The only bad experience was a tropical storm which sat over Key West for a week.

My home was boarded up. I was alone. Power went out. Had flashlights and candles, food, etc. Basically lived in the dark for a week. No way I could leave. The street under four feet of water. I was alone in the dark so long I even lost the capacity to fantasize.

Irma.

Left Key West tuesday at 4 in the afternoon. Figured I would get a head start. Drove till 9. Stayed over in Pompano.

Had filled the gas tank the day before. Lines long in Key West and up the Keys.

I went alone. Lisa and family opted to wait till wednesday morning to see how things looked. The tracking lines changed overnight. Enough that only some wind and rain will hit Key West. Miami became the target.

I should have waited till wednesday morning.

I was up and out of the motel in Pompano at 6 in the morning wednesday. Needed gas. Thought I was smart. Get to the station early to gas up. Beat the crowds.

No crowds at the gas stations. Went to five. No gas. Screwed! I needed gas!

Figured I would get on the Florida Turnpike and hopefully be able to get gas at a rest stop. On the way to the Turnpike, I was driving thru what I would describe as an extremely economically depressed area. Cars lined up! Gas!

A mob scene. People actually arguing who was next in line. No order. People filling up cans with gasoline.

Filled up and went for the Turnpike. I think the gas was watered or something. Maybe low grade. Sounds stupid!

Traffic bad off and on. Normal traffic. Nothing to do with Irma. Stayed on the Turnpike all the way up thru Florida. Then a route 75 in Georgia.

Traffic horrendous on occasion because of accidents. Close to Atlanta, big city traffic.

I stopped at a Turnpike rest area to gas up. Still had a half a tank. Wanted to be smart, however. The rest area had gas. The lines waiting to gas up horrendous! State police were directing cars into the pumps. From as close as 20 feet away.

I figured a wait time of an hour at least to get gas. Another screw it situation. Decided to drive further. The problem might ease itself. A 100 miles later, no problem. Drove right up to a pump.

People concerned about Irma for 3/4’s of Florida. Then, nothing.

I was falling asleep in heavy traffic in the afternoon. Stopped to eat. End of Florida. I was in Frankfort, NY. The USA 50 plus years ago. Small town people. Chatted with some. They knew little about Irma. Just that it was a hurricane that was going to hit South Florida. Concerned not.

Stopped for gas again early in Georgia. No rest areas. Had to get off 75 and drive down the road to a gas station.

Big station. Long old building. Called the Plantation. A dozen gas pumps in front.

Sort of old, the pumps. I could not figure out where to put the credit card. Went inside. Just what one would expect in countryside Georgia. A lovely lady. Sixtyish. Short and a bit on the heavy side. Pure white hair tied in a ball in the back. Metal rim round glasses. Rosy cheeks.

I told her I would like $20 worth of gas. She said to go pump it and come in and tell her how much afterwards.

Would you believe! People, gas stations trusting each other! I told her when I gave her my card afterwards how I had never had a similar experience in Florida or New York. She look at me with the expression….. Are you for real!

Plantation was a nice store. Countryish. Specialty food items. Honey and fruit cake two examples.

I am 82. I do what I want. Learn what I want. Ignore things I consider a pain.

Never used my cell phone as a travel map guide. Went to Verizon before I left and got educated.

Miracle of miracles! Fantastic! Did not even have to look at it. Just listen to the prompts. Wild!

I definitely would have gotten lost a couple of times without it. Especially when dark and six lanes of traffic each way.

Learned I need an eye examination. Seeing was difficult day and night, with and without glasses.

I did screw up, however.

Was 4 blocks from the Marriott. Could see building with Marriott sign on top. Cell phone went dead. Streets one way, round, triangular, etc. Took me a half hour to figure out how to get to the hotel. Finally stopped at a W. Doorman said take a right, another right and a third right…..You will be there! I was.

Great concierge service. A great deal for $137 a night. I forgot my room number after breakfast. Old age! Thought I was on the 37th floor. Not. 39th. Went downstairs for a new key. Like the airport. Had to go thru security to get it.

I have been to Atlanta several times in the past. The US Center for Disease is located here. My environmental cases took me here a week at a time to review records.

My game plan is to buy a pair of long pants. I only have shorts. A sweater and sweat shirt also. Cool for me outside. High today 70. Plus, I only have a pair of worn out crocs. Look terrific! No longer a big city man! Definitely from Key West!

Then, I want to go to Carter’s Presidential Museum. Passed by it just before phone went dead last night.

Another interesting experience. Men had to wait in line to pee at Florida rest areas. Just like the ladies. 20-30 people lines. Last time I had the experience was when the Carrier Dome opened in the early 1980s and I had to go at half time of a football game. Difficult to go when you have a guy sanding behind you waiting his turn.

I actually enjoyed the trip experience. However, not looking forward to the return trip.

Got to the bar at the Marriott about 11. Needed a few drinks, not food. Met two interesting people. Jennifer and Jim. No relationship. Thirtyish. In Atlanta on business. Bored them with stories for which I apologize.

Jennifer a financial wizard with Pricewaterhoue. Jim a software guru.

Technology and Louis do not go hand in hand. Age the problem. Not brought up mechanically dependent. Barbara just called and said I should use Uber to get around. My phone not set up yet. She walked me thru it. I’m like a little kid! Can’t wait to use it!

Thank you to those who wrote and invited me to share their homes. Good people all.

Enjoy your day!