THE PETER PAN THEORY

David A. Kaufelt was a novelist and national literary figure. He established Key West as a fixture in the national literary consciousness. Even more than Ernest Hemingway. The Key West Literary Seminar his brainchild. The Seminar significant in drawing the literary world’s attention to Key West.

Kaufelt had a personal theory why people opt to live in Key West. Referred to it as the Peter Pan Theory: “Freud said we are at our most creative when we are in our very early youth, before we’re five years old. That’s where we are here. We wear shorts, we ride bicycles, we have the water, a great symbol of the unconscious, and we’re free to be children here and let our spirits go. There’s nobody in suits and ties telling us what we have to do.”

A special person, Kaufelt passed on in 2014. Wherever he is, still wearing shorts and riding a bicycle.

The first house to be built in Key West was completed in 1825. Today at 322 Duval. When first constructed on Whitehead.

It was 1821. A Mr. Heeming (sometimes referred to as Mr. Hemming) came to Key West accompanied by workers and materials. The house was built on Whitehead. Took 3 years to complete.

In 1832, a Richard Cussans physically moved the house to 322 Duval at the request of its new owner, Captain Francis Wallington. The house remains known to this day as the Wallington House. A major Key West tourist attraction.

In the same year and totally unrelated, Lt. Commander Matthew C. Perry sailed the schooner Shark to Key West and planted the American flag. Thereby claiming the Keys as U.S. property.

No one protested. Neither country or person. Amazing!

An important today Key West attraction is the Key West Golf Course. Everyone plays!

The course is well maintained. Lovely. Wide fairways. Peace and tranquility experienced while playing. Unless of course a player misses a 1 foot putt.

The golf course was opened on March 23, 1924. Only the first 6 holes. A great day for locals and in later years for locals and the army of tourists who love the game.

Stone crabs! My favorite food. I have often said if I were to executed tomorrow, my last meal tonight would be stone crabs.

Got cheated Friday night at the Conch Republic. No stone crabs.

The problem will be resolved this evening at Donna and Terri’s. Stone crabs! Six pounds for four of us. Barbara will also be partying.

The stone crabs have been ordered at the Eaton Street Fish Market. We have been assured they will be available for pickup at 6 tonight.

There are good and bad people. The bad the sick part of our society.

Recall the Douglas High School shooting in Parkland. Seventeen students killed, 17 injured. The shooter Nikolas Cruz. Presently serving a life sentence.

A hero to some. He receives stacks of fan mail (even nudes). Most from teen age girls and women. Some from men. He has become an icon to those fascinated by him.

Fan clubs have been formed. Fans have banded on Facebook and other social media sites. One group has over 1,000 members who regularly post messages for Cruz. He is referred to in many of the messages as “cute” or “handsome.”

Sick!

The sick of society reach even high levels of government. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo an example.

Yesterday while addressing a Jewish gathering, he intimated God had sent Trump to invade Iran in order to protect Israel from Iran. He said it’s “possible” God sent Trump to save the Jewish people.

Pompeo made his remarks on Purim, the celebration of the Jewish exodus from the ancient Achaemenid Persian Empire which today is known as Iran.

The following statement was made to Pompeo: “President Trump now has been sort of raised for such a time as this, just like Queen Esther, to help save the Jewish people from an Iranian menace.”

Pompeo commented in response: “I am confident the Lord is at work here.”

What is happening? Religious fanaticism at its worst. Have we crossed from light to dark into the twilight zone?

Pompeo is a Christian Zionist. An evangelical Zionist. Trump admires him. He is dragging Trump into a bad situation. He is dragging the U.S. into a bad situation.

No question Israel wants war with Iran. Israel has a problem. It is doubtful it can win without the engagement on their side of the U.S. war machine.

Many Presidents wanted to be “war Presidents.” Few even got close to succeeding. I worry Trump may have the war bug.

Last week, the new Brazilian President Bolsonaro met in Washington with Trump. Brazil borders Venezuela. Trump wants to oust Maduro. Invasion/war may be the only way.

Bolsonaro left the meeting with military aid and I sense an agreement to follow the U.S. lead as regards Venezuela.

Tomorrow and Tuesday, Israel’s Netanyahu will be in Washington for meetings with Trump. Meetings Monday and Tuesday. A state dinner Tuesday night.

Trump continues to suck up to Netanyahu who wants U.S. support for an Iranian invasion.

Staying with Trump a moment, the Mueller Report is done and delivered to Attorney General Barr. TV this morning tells us Barr will release “something” to Congress and the public today.

We all wait with bated breath.

Many are concerned the Report will not include an indictment of Trump and certain of his family members. Jonathan Turley yesterday wrote: “If Mueller’s Report lacks indictments, collusion is a delusion.” From law professor to poet.

Ending on a positive note, Tennessee Williams.

March is Tennessee Williams month. He was a Key West resident for more than 30 years. His home on Duncan 1 block from Lisa’s.

Williams first wrote Cat on a Hot Tin Roof as a play. The play opened on Broadway this day 1955. A hit! Williams won his second Pulitzer Prize for it.

The movie released in 1958 a hit also. Starred Paul Newman, Elizabeth Taylor and Burl Ives.

Certain aspects of Williams’ relationship with his father are incorporated into Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. Williams association with his demanding father a difficult one.

Enjoy your Sunday!

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