CHE A NO SHOW

Several of us were at the Chart Room at 5 yesterday to visit with Che. An old friend, Chart Room cohort, one who has an empty hole in the bar awaiting his ashes, a first class debater in any friendly argument, a man soon to be 84.

The meeting had been arranged by Jean Thornton. Che has become a recluse in recent months. His health failing. He would not open his door if someone knocked. We wanted to visit with him.

No Che. Failed to appear. Probably decided he simply did not want to do it. No problem. Che has earned the right to call them as he sees them.

We sat at the round table and enjoyed ourselves. Jean, David, Cori, Nic, Captain Frank, Valerie, Lisa, and Louis. Later, Quincy Perkins showed up.

Jean made a batch of deviled eggs and brought them for all to enjoy.

Later, Jean and I had dinner together at Hot Tin Roof. Sheila bartending.

Jean and I are a match. We get along well. I consider her a benefactor. Escaped Irma by staying at her home in Birmingham for 12 days.

The Ocean Key House pier was severely damaged by Irma. The contractor waited six months to get back to Ocean Key that he could not do the job for the price bid. Another company has stepped in. They are swiftly working. A huge crane, huge wood posts, etc. I understand the entire pier is going to be redone in concrete.

My sunday afternoon was spent writing this week’s KONK Life column. Sit At Attention Or Die. A Kim/Trump tale. Mostly, Kim. It hits the stands wednesday evening.

The article was well researched and wrote swiftly. I had time left over. Skimmed the internet a bit to determine what the following week’s article will be.

Came up with the subject! Sand! The world is running out of sand. A black market has developed. I did some preliminary research. Interesting.

What a difference 100 years make! Price of Key West Hotel rooms.

In 1914, the Panama Hotel was located at the corner of Eaton and Elizabeth Streets. A new hotel. Running water in each room. A big deal! Rates $1.00, $1.50, and $2.00.

A sad situation. Paul Donnelly was the Key West Citizen Controller. In a management restructuring in March, Paul was one of the those let go.

Paul got in trouble last thursday in Plainview, Michigan. He robbed a bank. Walked up to a teller, handed her a note saying this is a robbery and my bag contains a bomb.

Paul walked out with $4,700. Eight hours later, he was arrested without incident.

Paul was in Plainview visiting relatives. The relatives claim Paul was suicidal, the bank robbery a call for help, he was fighting alcoholism, the sudden loss of his job had affected him, and he had recurring problems from a brain tumor.

Several years ago, I wrote a KONK Life article re Napoleon’s defeat at Waterloo. The Waterloo battle was waged this day in 1815.

I discovered in my research at the time that the popular reason for Napoleon’s defeat was not correct. It was not the genius of the Duke of Wellington, though his military prowess probably did make some contribution.

Napoleon had hemorrhoids. They were extremely painful the night before. He doped himself with some narcotic that evening and in the late morning when he woke to kill the pain. He overslept. Did not get to the battlefield till just before noon. The battle had started in the early morning.

He could not sit comfortably on his horse. As a result, he did not move around the battlefield to personally view and assess conditions.

The battle was lost early evening.

My research clearly indicated it was the hemorrhoids that did him in.

The immigration children problem disturbs me as it must most of you. Children separated from parents. Sort of a Sophie’s choice, though not as final.

Totally un-American. Not what good people do. I am ashamed my country is doing this.

The problem has to be resolved like yesterday. Realistically, by the end of this week.

How would Trump have felt if his three oldest when young were taken from him and his wife in a fashion similar to what is occurring at the borders? Or, Barron today?

Cock fighting in the lower Keys was a big deal back when. Perhaps even today. I recall a few years ago a group was arrested for involvement with cock fighting.

BOB reports British Peter had a cock fighting experience.

The time would have been the mid 1990’s. Peter was driving cab for a living. New to the job. Got a call asking if he would go to Rockland Key to pick up a fare. Peter jumped at the chance. The fare $17 plus tip.

He picked up 3 young boys each with a paper bag on a side road off US 1. They asked to be taken to Bahama Village. Made sure they had money to pay. Started up and reached the intersection with US 1.

All of a sudden, a huge truck was behind the cab. Lights glaring, horn blowing, and the driver waving out the window. Peter had no idea what was going on. He immediately called for help. The Sheriff’s Department arrived in 2 minutes.

The guy in the tuck ran to the cab. The boys jumped out and ran onto US 1 emptying their bags as they ran. They assumed the chickens would run into the woods. Not so. The chickens were fighters. They engaged in a mammoth cock fight on US 1 in front of the Sheriff Deputies.

The guy in the truck was arrested. The kids taken into custody. The chickens collected.

A problem arose. The Sheriff/County had no place to keep the chickens pending trial. Evidence. They solved the problem in Key West fashion. The chickens were turned over to the now defendant truck driver who they assumed knew how to safeguard them.

BOB does not tell  us how the case ended. Was there a trial? Were the chickens produced? I doubt it. These chickens were lucky if they saw the light of day following the incident.

The situation bothered Peter. He put a sign in his cab: No Rockland County trips, no Rockland County residents.

Dueling Bartenders tonight.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

GREAT BASKETBALL!

Could not have been a better game! Neck and neck. Cavaliers finally winning 93-89.

Typical of me, I fell asleep with six minutes left in the game. Woke after trophies were given out.

My congratulations to Lynda and Bob Frechette. Home in Cleveland in time for the game.

LeBron James impressed me. Not only for his playing. For his apparent kindness and humility. A great!

Late morning, I visited Donna and Terri at their new abode. Lovely. A mini plantation.

Their new home packed with unopened boxes. Still unpacking. Could take another month. That much stuff.

Cupboards empty again. No time to waste. Could not stop at Publix. Picked up a Submarine and headed home. Where I quickly devoured the sandwich.

I had to get out this week’s KONK Life column. It took six hours. Titled Napoleon 2 Xs. Sort of a lead up to what makes heroes. Not mosquitoes and hemorrhoids.

Caught the last hour of the U.S. Open.

Dinner time. Still no food in the house. Did Chinese delivery. Egg rolls and shrimp egg foo yong.

An accurate observation in this morning’s Citizens’ Voice. Pertaining to the Key West City Commission. “The inmates are running the asylum – we need new leadership.”

Front page this morning’s Key West Citizen. Re the proposed constructions on Rockland Key. Includes a Walmart and 312 units of affordable housing.

A $14.6 million deal. Developers already paid $700,000 in deposits.

The deal was entered into in 2021. Developers want out. They also want to keep the $700,000.

Word on the street is that property values have risen considerably and the developers want a new deal reflecting the property’s increase in value.

Trump wants to profile Muslims. Shades of Hitler. Trump crazy and dangerous.

Enjoy your day!

 

FATHER’S DAY LONG IN COMMING

Happy Father’s Day!

They did not want Father’s Day. For shame! Social groups thought the only purpose was to commercialize the day. No honor to Dads involved. These groups had Washington politicians in their back pockets. It took till 1972 to legalize Father’s Day as a holiday.

Prejudice involved, also. Many thought fathers were not entitled to be honored as mothers were.

The media opposed marking the day. Newspapers featured cynical and sarcastic attacks on the issue. Jokes were made of the idea of having a Father’s Day.

Resistance began crumbling during Woodward Wilson’s time as President. He tried. He could not get Congress to approve a bill, however. Lyndon Johnson met with the same resistance. Seeing he could not get a law out of it, he settled for a Presidential Proclamation.

Richard Nixon succeeded where others had failed. He got Congress to pass a bill and Nixon signed it into law. Father’s Day forever to be the third Sunday in June.

My afternoon yesterday was spent researching this week’s KONK Life column. I will write the article this afternoon. Title: Napoleon 2 Xs. Interesting history rarely mentioned in reviewing Napoleon’s exploits. Eye opening information regarding Waterloo and the Louisiana Purchase.

Last night, Tavern ‘n Town. Dinner with my lesbian wives Donna and Terri. Always good company.

Ran into Dr. Sullivan and his wife. First time I met his wife. He and Donna and Terri are old friends.

While waiting for Donn a and Terri, I enjoyed a drink at the bar. Made new friends. Karen  and Jim. They purchased a condominium at the far end of Stock Island. Beautiful open water views.

Their last stop before Key West was Punta Gorda.

Karen a former law office administrator. Jim a former IBM consultant. Had been with IBM 30 years prior to retiring.

Enjoy your Sunday!

 

NAPOLEON, HEMORRHOIDS, OPIUM AND WATERLOO

On this day in 1815, the Battle of Waterloo was fought. Napoleon was defeated. His prominence ended.

Most historians credit the English and allied forces under the Duke Wellington for having defeated him. Others give credit to the Prussian army which entered the fray later in the day when the winner was yet to be decided.

Napoleon was a military genius. Not at Waterloo, however. Why? Why did he lose?  Did something other than the battle itself contribute to his defeat?

Napoleon suffered from hemorrhoids. They were bothering him big time the night before the battle. He was also suffering that evening from a bladder infection. He took a dose of opium to relieve the pain and help him sleep.

Napoleon slept well. He woke late. He had difficulty mounting his horse. He had to be helped. He did not arrive at the battlefield till around one o’clock in the afternoon. By that time the forces against him had made strategic moves and were in a better place to counter Napoleon’s moves.

Napoleon had the habit of riding around a battlefield while the fighting was going on. Personal reconnaissance. He could not that day. The hemorrhoids.

The pain/discomfort was intense. Napoleon took more opium.

The battle was a close one till late in the day. Whether the English or Prussians, the battle was won by the allied forces late in the day.

Historians rarely comment on Napoleon’s physical condition and medication on  the day of the battle. Nor the effect the pain and opium had on him.

In his incapacitated condition, Napoleon was defeated later in the day. I suspect he would have not lost were it not for the hemorrhoids and opium.

My yesterday began at Body Owners on Stock Island. The anti-gravity treadmill.

Then to my heart doctor, Dr. McIvor. To get the results of all the tests I had taken the past few days. A relief! Everything is ok. Nothing has changed. I have two aortic valve problems and was concerned there might be a problem with one of them.

While there, he complimented me on how thin I was. Was I still dieting? No, I was exercising. I explained the anti-gravity treadmill to him. I was singing to the choir. He has purchased one for his expanded offices. Soon his patients with bad hearts will be able to exercise without stress.

I am turned on by the treadmill. It made me feel better that he was going to use it with certain of his patients. Those who needed to exercise.  Starting slowly. I do not go slow, however. I move!

Last night, the Chart Room. Sheila and Emily holding court. And Liverpool Mike. I refer to him as Liverpool Mike because that is from whence he comes. Liverpool, England.

Mike recalled me from last year. Embarrassingly, I did not recall him.

Mike vacations once a year in Key West. This trip for two weeks.

He is a hospitality consultant. Arranges new restaurants and bars.

I mentioned to him last week’s KONK Life article re Portugal and drugs. I told him my research indicated that Great Britain was considering legalizing all drugs as Portugal had done. No way, he said. The big fight at the moment is reducing marijuana use from a felony to a misdemeanor. There is no talk of legalization.

I am sure Mike and I will share a drink or two together again during his visit.

Peter, aka Captain Peter, aka British Peter, is visiting from his present home in Oregon. Good to see him! Peter is special.

Che is under the weather. Peter is considering extending his visit to help Che get back on his feet.

One human family!

Word on the street is that Backspace closed. I mentioned Backspace several blogs ago. I went for dinner. Was not impressed. It appears I was correct.

There is a new Starbucks on the corner of Front and Duval. I love coffee houses! I went to give it a look.

The coffee aroma hits you as you walk in the door. Pleasantly. Adds to your desire to have a cup. The place is beautifully done. One negative. No table and chairs. It’s a buy and carry out.

It will succeed never the less. The new Starbucks will be patronized primarily by tourists. It’s location in the middle of heavy tourist activity.

Dinner at Hot Tin Roof. Quiet. Off season obvious. Had dinner at the bar. Diana normally a table waitress. Last night behind the bar. A lovely and charming person.

Jenna telephoned me yesterday. Let’s go out friday night. I said yes, of course.

Enjoy your day!