Good morning world!

I would like to say the sun is up, the sky blue. But it is too early! It is pitch black outside. However if the weather report is to be believed, it is going to be another glorious day in Key West!

Yesterday was quiet.

Lunch at Paradise Cafe. No chickens. Makes me wonder where they are. Propogating? Perhaps. They periodically seem to disappear for awhile. Then the mother hen reappears with ten little chickies following behind her.

Last night was dinner with Lisa and the grandkids. I missed Sunday dinner and had to make up. Otherwise, Lisa would be upset with me!

My grandchildren Robert and Ally have so much energy! Non stop in everything they do. Wow!

The news yesterday was big with Obama’s toxic asset plan. I do not understand it. The fact that the market went up dramatically as a result of the anouncement, scares me a bit. Is this toxic asset plan another slight of hand investment strategy? I am a fairly intelligent person. Well educated. And to be frank, I do not understand the plan at all!

I have dealt with toxic torts my whole life. Asbestos, pcbs, hazardous substances of every nature. Nothing good ever comes from a toxic substance. And I fear nothing good will come from these toxic assets.

The very name bothers me. Toxic assets. How can anything toxic be an asset?

The bank and AIG bonus situations continue to bother me also. As everyone else!

Astronomical amounts, these bonuses! Many in the millions! And big millions, at that!

A new level of wealth was created. I read somewhere recently that the folks at AIG got so rich they were having their gums capped! Makes the point!

Too much! Too quickly! Apparently too easily!

Most Americans work hard all year for a salary. Either hourly or weekly. They bust their butts every day. Their only expectation is a small raise at the end of the year. That is the American way!

Now along come banks and insurance companies. Basic industries in this Nation. Two industries that are consumer driven and were initially established to serve public needs. The public that works for a set salary and the hope of a year end raise.

But the banks and insurance companies have a different way of rewarding their employees. Bonuses!

Examine from where and why the bonuses are paid. The bank and insurance employees get paid bonuses for making more money for their companies. Money made from screwing their customers or the public.

Think of it! How many times have you paid a point extra for a loan or when it came time to sign the papers, the mortgage was a bit higher than advertised. One example in the insurance industry is the claims person who squeezes the injured party and delays settlement so the innocent accident victim is forced to settle for less out of need and desperation. That claims person is paid a year end bonus based on how much he saved the company in a multitude of claims that year.

We all work for an employer. To whom we owe proper diligence. But these companies are set up to reward their employees by screwing the public who uses their services. Not right! It is a consumer/people be damned attitude! A basic morality issue.

Look where it has brought us! Bailouts and millions in bonuses to company leaders and employees who got us into this situation in the first place! Failure rewarded!

What a screwed up society! We have to correct these bad habits, and fast, or we will all be selling apples on street corners! The homeless shelters will not be large enough to accomodate the number of people clamoring to get in!

Sunday night at the Pier House I ran into Kurt. My golf buddy. He shoots 72 and I shoot 115. Kurt is a gentleman. He also can be a tough guy. Kurt is a night bartender at Don’s Place. A big guy. Weighs in near 300 pounds.

Someone gave him some shit. Kurt says the guy was stalking him. There was a confrontation. Fists were thrown. Kurt, of course, won. However in the process, he lost. Broke his right thumb. Took seven weeks to heal. No golf. And a pain, otherwise.

Kurt was at Larry Smith’s Sunday Showcase with his mother and brother. They are from Indiana. First time visitors. I chatted with them for awhile. Nice people.

I told Kurt’s Mom that Lisa’s husband was from Indiana also. And I told her what a great guy he is! She understood. As I described Corey to her, I expressed my thought that all folks from Indiana are solid good people with all kinds of values. Middle America, she proudly stated!

I could see as I talked with his Mom where Kurt got the kindness he exudes.

I just looked out the window. Still way early! Gray outside. However now I can see the ocean and a palm tree. A slight breeze pushing both. Pretty!

Lunch today with one woman. Dinner with another. A double header! Going to be a good day! Do not get excited, however. Business. Well, sort of!

Talk with you tomorrow!

A good Sunday yesterday!

Syracuse played Arizona State at noon. Syracuse won by about 11 points. It took Syracuse’s best game to beat Arizona State. But beat Arizona State they did! And now Syracuse is on its way to the Sweet Sixteen!

There’s nothing like March Madness!

I stopped at the Gardens last night around 6. The Sunday night event was on going. A couple of hundred people.

Good music and good company. A lovely setting.

I ran into June and Bill Hudson. They are back from Delaware. They told me they were off to the Wine Galley for dinner and Larry Smith. They asked if I wanted to join them. I was uncertain. Told them I wanted to make a couple of other stops and might see them.

I went over to La Te Da. My intention was to have a light snack at the outside bar. The place was too packed however. No room at the bar!

La Te Da is now on my hit list of places to eat. It has been a long time since I enjoyed La Te DA’s cooking. The reason that it is so good is that Alice is back cooking. A culinary artist!

Intertestingly, Saturday I lunched at Paradise Cafe. Paradise Cafe is nothing special. A run down former gas station. Sells cheap cuban sandwiches and coffee. But the sandwiches are so good!

Who did I run into Saturday at Paradise Cafe! Alice, chef premier at La Te Da. A compliment to Paradise’s cuban sandwiches!

I told Alice, “We both know the best places to eat.” She laughed. Alice knew what I meant, however. Not only does she cook, she walks the dining room floor constantly chatting with her patrons, offering a cheery hello, asking if one is happy with the food, etc. So she knows I have been eating at La Te Da again. In fact, I told her I returned because she was cooking!

Dejected I could not eat at La Te Da, I walked across the street to the Keys Piano Bar. Only a handfull of people. However, I stayed awhile to enjoy the music.

It was still early so I went over to the Pier House’s Wine Galley. And sure enough, there were Bill and June Hudson. They had not ordered yet, so I joined them for dinner.

Sunday is Larry Smith’s Showcase. Last night he featured Peter Delaney. Peter is a native of Norwich, Connecticut, who now spends much time in the Key West area. I have heard Peter sing before. A great voice!

Kathleen Peace was part of the program, also. I love Kathleen’s singing! Spectacular! Actually spectacular is not sufficient to describe the range and quality of her voice. She is one of the best, professionally and personally!

By the way, in all the running around last night, I only had 2 drinks. A good boy am I!

I read an article recently that an Ohio school had nearly 700 applications for one open janitorial job. A sad sign of the times!

It reminded me of my law school days.

It was 1959. My son John had just been born. Beside scholarship money and two part time jobs, I now needed a third job. Another mouth to feed!

Sears was advertising a part time evening janitorial position. Perfect for me! I applied! The personnel guy rejected me. He said I was over qualified. I would not be happy sweeping floors. I told him it did not matter what the work. I would do it and do it well. I would be timely. And happy!

My words fell on deaf ears. All he knew from his perspective was that I was over educated to clean toilets. He just did not understand! I needed the job!

Just as many others need a job or additional job today! With so few to go around.

A sad time for all of us! A sad time for America!

I read a lot. Always have 3 or 4 books going at the same time.

This reading is an interesting thing. During all the years I was practicing law, I had no time for recreational reading. I read legal papers, briefs and documents all day. So at night I had no desire to read. My eyes were tired. Or maybe it was an excuse. I don’t know.

Now in retirement, I read like a thirsting man lost in the desert who just found a water hole!

I finished Tom Brokaw’s Boom! Good book. A very good book.

Long. Almost another War and Peace. Over 600 pages.

It is about the 1960s. A turning point in the life of our country.

I lived through those years, so the book perhaps may have had a greater appeal to me.

Though I lived through it, I was not part of the radically distrurbing scene that occurred. I went to college and law school in the 1950s. I was an Eisenhower child. Everything was serene and OK! Apple pie and motherhood! The road to succes was to do as had been done. Follow the tried and true.

I believed. It was the American way.

I started practicing law at the beginning, in 1960. I thought all the demonstrators for the various causes were nuts trying to upset the apple cart of what was the tried and true way to live the American life.

I wore a suit, shirt and tie. Never let my hair grow long. Never got involved in the causes and issues of the day.

And were there causes and issues!

Vietnam, civil rights, women’s rights, assasinations and everything else!

My mind said any war fought by my country was good. After all, we were a good people and we could only maintain the good fight. We were pure. Every one else, contaminated.

I found the demonstrations on and off campuses hard to fathom. These people had to be nuts. Students burning buildings on college campuses! All I could think of only a few years earlier when I was in college was who my next date was going to be! The protesters’ values had to be misplaced!

I recall several peaceful marching demonstrations in Utica. All in protest of the Vietnam War. Some professionals and prominent businessmen walked in those parades. I thought two things. They were crazy and they had courage! I did not agree with them. That is why they were crazy, from my perspective. Courage because I questioned if I could so march if I had such a contrary and what I considered minority belief.

The battle for civil rights was astounding! And it was a battle!

I admired those blacks and their walks. I admired even more their Ghandi like approach. The courage it took to walk into those horses and clubs!

And the confrontations! Governor Wallace at the steps of a college trying to stop a black student from entering. A constitutional confrontation of the highest sort!

The killings in the south of whites and blacks alike trying to enforce voters’ rights.

President Johnson, a Texan, signing into law the most sweeping recognition and enforcement of clvil rights! He said when he did it that his act was the end of the Democratic Party in the south. And it was!

Women’s rights! Women went crazy in the 1960s!

It all started with the pill. Women became sexually liberated. Conception was no longer an issue. They screwed like men! I could not believe it! Women wanted to have sex! And as much as they could get!

With sexual freedom, came other liberating thoughts. Now women wanted to be like men in general. Freedom in the work place, equal pay for equal work and all that kind of stuff. Second class citizenship was out the window for them. They sat in front of the bus. In fact, they wanted to drive the bus!

And death! Assasinations of a magnitude unconceivable!

First, John Kennedy. My President! I could not believe any one would shot my President, the President. His brother, Robert Kennedy. I had the same feelings. And simultneously the question constantly in my mind. What was my country coming to?

Martin Luther King! What did he do to deserve his death? He was only trying to correct a basic wrong. Prejudice is a cancer. He was eradicating it. Peacefully, though disturbingly to many in the white establishment. Death was his mantle. He did reach the top of the mountain!

And so it was! Dynmaic, ever changing.

The belly of America regurgetated. The vomit spewed all over.

But we all felt better afterwards. Our Nation is a better place to live because of the the 1960s.

Until now, of course, and this economic crisis. But that is not for today.

I did baby sit last night. Fun! A joy!

The movie was…..you guessed it! The Wizard of Oz. I am beginning to hate it! But the grandkids love it! So watch it we did!

I made popcorn. Ally and I ate most of it. Robert did not seem hungry.

I colored and read books with Ally. Played with trucks and Ironman with Robert.

At some point, Ally came over and climbed up on my lap. She rested her head on my chest and fell asleep. How good!

Robert was determined to stay up with me. He faltered a little after his sister and fell asleep on the couch.

It rained while I was baby sitting. Big wind and heavy rain. Monsoon style! And it kept pouring for a couple of hours.

Lisa, Corey and step grandson Cameron had gone to a Montessori fundraiser at Southernmost. A reggae band. Bob Marley’s former backup band.

Lisa and team came home around 11. Each drenching wet. Each more soaked than the other.

This was a beach concert. No covering. About 1,000 people. They whooped it up while getting wetted down!

I came home to my own disaster.

When I left around 6 to go to Lisa’s, the sun was shinning. It was a nice day. I did not anticipate a rain storm. Nor, I suspect, did anyone else.

I left the sliding doors and windows open!

My bedroom got it! The wind from the Atlantic blew the water into the room about 5 feet. Carpets and throw rugs soaked soaked! My ottoman soaked. Some books nearby wet.

I cleaned up as best I could. Closed the sliding doors to prevent further rain coming in. I woke during the night after the rain stopped. Opened the sliding doors again. My concern was mold. That is how wet it all was!

This morning I am happy to report that everything is dry.

The sun is up. But I cannot see it. A bed of gray clouds is over the island. TV says scattered showers today. So I guess that is the kind of day it will be.

The wind is blowing. Actually, howling. And I can see whitecaps on the water.

Syracuse plays Arizona State at noon in Miami. Probably on national televison. Should be a good game.

Lest you forget, I love Sundays! God’s day of rest! My day of rest!

The Sunday papers! Meet the Press! The added bonus today of the Syracuse basketball game! And tonight in Key West! Probably starting with music and drinks at the Gardens at 5!

Enjoy your day as I am mine!

A nice day yesterday. Quiet and healthy.

I had not been to the beach for awhile. The sun was shinning. So why not!

I threw a sand chair and beach towel in the trunk and away I went!

I opted for the federal beach. Thought there might be fewer college kids since you have to pay to get in. I was wrong. Not bad though.

I walked out to the gulf side by the rocks. Generally, a locals spot. Sits right next to the channel. You can watch the boats go in and out all day. Big cruise ships all the way down to small sail boats. A pretty sight!

The college visitors were mostly at the other end. Well behaved. They sleep all day on the beach to compensate for staying up all night in town.

I stayed a couple of hours. The sun felt good on my body. I tried the water. Still too cold for me.

Afterwards, I took a ride to Hogfish for lunch. Love the place! Very laid back. Thatched roof, open sides, sort of run down. Actually looks desperate. Shrimp boats and fishing boats all around tied up at docks.

Old Key West!

But not really. Just looks like it. Hogfish is actually not in Key West. It is on the next island up. Stock Island. And it is located on one of the most beat up streets in the area. Run down dilapidated trailers, a garbage dump of sorts and fishing businesses.

There is a sign on the road side nearby Hogfish that states: Welcome to Downtown Stock Island!

Everyone loves Hogfish! The food is good. Huge portions and cheap. Sort of clean. A locals paradise!

Last night I did Louis’ Duval crawl!

I started at the Chart Room. Only Che there. Had one drink and left.

Then a brief stop at the Keys Piano Bar. A briefer one at La Te Da. I was not much in a chatting mood.

Ended up at La Trattoria at the bar for dinner. Watched a basketball game while eating. Love this March madness!

Then home to bed and more basketball!

A good day! A quiet day!

Tonight I babysit. Only the fourth time. My daughter Lisa is desperate. She could not find a babysitter. So I am the man!

Love it! Look forward to it!

I have already planned the evening. Popcorn, hot chocolate, movies and me!

The only problem is who will fall asleep first. Me or the grandkids?

And that is what Lisa worries about!

Another lovely day yesterday!

Key West is Paradise!

I had a late lunch at the Yacht Club.

It is interesting. No matter where I go, the AIG bonuses are THE topic of conversation. People are mad! What bothers me is that some people are justifying it because “contracts” were involved. Sort of sacrosanct. Like contracts cannot be broken.

The contract argument is bullshit! It reminds me of Hitler’s PR man Goebbels who said, in effect, tell a lie long enough and people will start to believe it.

The contract argument from my perspective is Washington’s way of excusing its ineptness.

When the contracts were entered into, business was good. Remember that this recession fell on us suddenly like a ton of bricks! Though long in the making, it was not apparent till only recently.

There is a basic contract tenet that if there is a mutual mistake of fact, a contract can be invalidated. It was assumed when the contracts were entered into that business would continue to be good. Turned out to be a fallacy. Business turned bad. So no money exists to pay the bonuses. The bonuses are expunged. Pure and simple.

The mutual mistake of fact is that business would continue to be good and monies there to pay the bonuses.

Forget there is bailout money. It is tax dollars. It is morally reprehensible to use tax dollars to pay bonuses.

The argument is put forth that the AIG employees will quit if denied the bonuses. Let them! With 500,000 to 600,000 additional unemployed each month and millions out of work, replacements are a dime a dozen. And good ones at that!

The other argument justifying payment of the bonuses is that some of the AIG employees have allegedly threatened to expose company secrets. What company secrets! In this highly sophisticated and technical age, major corporations spy on each other daily. They are better than the US government at it. There are no secrets!

Congress seems to be as screwed up as the banks and insurance companies. I used to have great respect for elected officials. It was long ago, however. Now they appear like a bunch of idiots. They argue. They criticize. They blame. But they do not think. Congress no longer is proactive. It is reactive.

This 90 per cent tax thing that passed yesterday is a disgrace!

On first blush, one would say get the bastreds! Taxing them will get most of our money back! It will also get us our pound of flesh! It is Madoff finally going to jail.

Good luck! The 90 per cent tax is a civil Guantanamo! Flagrantly unconstitutional! I predict without hesitation that the courts will throw it out!

And we do not want government deficating on any individual or group. What was done to AIG employees with the 90 per cent tax yesterday, could well happen to you or me tomorrow in another fashion. We do not want nor can we live in that type society.

Recover the bonuses the old fashioned way. Sue!

Hire lawyers, and good ones at that, and chase down the bonuses!

When this nation was started, our founding fathers thought long and hard about how government was to operate. At the time back in the late 1700s, this country was based on a farm economy. Most affluent persons were farmers.

The Nation was small. Operation of government did not take that long. Congress sat only a few weeks a year. It was not a full time job. Elected representatives left the farm to travel to Washington to do the Nation’s business. After a couple of weeks, they returned home to work the farm the rest of the year.

Now it is a full time job.

One problem is that most elected officials keep getting reelected. Not a good situation! Congress becomes a life time job for many. Complacency sets in. Entitlement becomes a state of mind. A sort of royalty is created.

I have never been a fan of term limits. But I am coming to the conclusion that it is time to impose them on Congress. Two terms and go home! Just like the farmers of old and in compliance with the thinking of our founding fathers. I doubt it was ever intended that Congress become a full time job for a number of years!

Like all else, when every thing seems to be screwing up, a return to basics is required.

Enough of AIG and Washington.

Last night was bocci. The best of all evenings each week!

We continued our downward spiral. Lost all 3 games. Badly! 16-7, 16-2 and 16-5.

It is hard ot comprehend. Last year we were so good. This season, so bad!

And it is becoming mental. We know we are going to lose before we even start!

We have a terrific team. Captain David, Don, Michelle, Brandon, Maria, Jules, Rob , Bebe, Michael and me. All decent players. But last night, to a man/woman, we all stunk!

The interesting thing is that we are all happy! In spite of getting our asses whipped each week!
We joke and laugh. We hang around afterwards and happily chat. Down deep we all know we are having a bad season. Nothing we can do about it. It will pass. And a new season will arrive and we will be good again.

Hopefully!

I continue to keep my drinking down. I am fighting the triglyciride problem. Only one drink last night!

Maybe that’s my problem!

Enjoy your Friday!

Golf was enjoyable yesterday.

I struck the ball well. Better than normal. And yet, I did not score.

Played with Yankee Jack, Tino, Aaron and Kurt. Yankee the big winner by far! He had a very good day. I lost a few dollars.

Bocci tonight. I hope I play better than in recent weeks.

I started last night at Aqua. It is my Wednesday pit stop. Bobby Nesbitt normally sings at Aqua on Wednesdays at cocktail time. Bobby was not there. Which I knew in advance. He is somewhere near Bora Bora singing on a cruise ship.

Randy Thompson was scheduled to fill in for Bobby last night.

I had never heard Randy sing before. He is reputed to be one of the top drag queens on the island.

A spectacular performance!

First, let me tell you that if I did not know he was a guy, I would not have known. What a great looking woman. Face, hair, body, the whole works! Absolutely beautiful!

Worry not, I am not switching!

And his voice! Pure feminine and sweet!

This guy is a star! Which he is considered in Key West. As I said earlier, one of the top drag queens. Do not wait as long as I did to catch his act! He is one of the best at what he does!

Then I walked over to Antonia’s for dinner alone at the bar. I had not been to Antonia’s for a couple of weeks. They had pissed me off.

It was good to be back. The food is exceptional, the service good and the staff friendly. It was like returning home after a long absence.

Golf tires me out. A reflection of my age. I generally play Wednesday mornings. Spend the afternoon in bed regaining my energy. And in the eveniing, I am still tired. So immediately following dinner at Antonia’s, I returned home and to bed. Well before 9 o’clock!

AIG! Every one continues to have a hair up their ass! And properly so!

What bothers me this morning is that over the last 24 hours it appears some in government knew of the bonus situation during the bailout bill’s approval process. This whole thing is hard to fathom! Incompetence, abuse and arrogance at every level! And it continues to be rewarded!

Enough for today. Soon the sun will rise and shine. I am obviously an early riser.

Enjoy your day!

I am up early this morning. It is 5 o’clock!

Dark outside. Very black. I can hear the water running by through the open window.

The weather is great! We are into Key West time!

I had a quiet lunch yesterday at Paradise Cafe. Ate outside. A cuban sandwich and cuban coffee. Read the papers. Peaceful.

Then I decided to take a long walk. It has been a while since I walked far. I have become lazy.

I walked the waterfront. All the people! It is obvious it is the season. Vacationers all over the place! All having a good time! Good for them and good for the local economy!

Yesterday was St. Patrick’s day! So every one was Irish and every bar was an Irish bar! There were people all over wearing green tee shirts and in many instances green hats. Drinking, socializing and whooping it up.

I saw it all on my walk!

Last night I had an early business dinner. At La Trattoria. With a very charming young lady named Tamara. An interesting woman! Owns her own home on Sugarloaf Key, is a single mother of a 9 year old daughter, a Vasser graduate, has a nursing degree also, works in the medical field and on and on. Quite a person! Interesting also is that her bother is President of the Boston Federal Reserve.

Tamara’s parents have to be two proud people!

This AIG thing is a gigantic pain! And another example of corporate America gone wild and knowing no bounds.

There is much I want to express regarding AIG. So much so that I am going to spread it over several days.

Let me start by saying I was privileged to represent AIG in upstate New York for years. There was not a finer insurance company. They were the best of the best!

From my perspective, they were that good for two reasons.

First, leadership. They had a CEO by the name of Greenberg. He ran a tight ship. He guided AIG to the pinnacle of success it once knew.

However he was forced to resign several years ago. Blame Eliot Spitzer!

Spitzer was Attorney General of New York. He wanted to be governor. He went after Wall Street. Not every one he pursued deserved to be. One of those victims was Greenberg. Spitizer went after him on some minute bullshit charges. Greenberg was forced out. However he defended himself with regard to every charge and was totally exonerated several years later.

However he was gone from AIG and AIG no longer had the wisdom of his careful guidance.

The new CEO is the one who screwed things up!

One of his major errors was to insure packages of sub prime loans. This had never been done before. But it presented a way to make a lot more money. Greed!

And the loans did not have to go into default. If it looked like they might or the underlying value of the property diminished, the insurance kicked in. What a deal!

Well folks, a large chunk of the bailout money has gone from AIG’s coffers to pay the banks and other mortgage holders now holding these bad sub prime mortgages.

The banks always seem to come out on top! Rip off artists in three button suits! Frauds of respectability!

The second reason AIG was so good was that under Greenberg it operated as an insurance company. That simple! It insured those things normally insured like autos, homes, doctors, lawyers, dentists, etc. No fancy stuff like sub prime mortgages. And AIG staffed itself with fine insurance professionals to do its work. And I am sure with no fancy bonuses built into their employment contracts. Just a fair days pay for a fair days work! Like every one else!

Enough of AIG for today. More tomorrow.

Still dark outside. The sound of the ocean roaring by is refreshing.

I play golf this morning. How bad will I be? The eternal question!

Perhaps my mind set is wrong. I approach golf very negatively! I think I am going to play poorly and I do play poorly! The only problem is that when I think I am going to play well, I play poorly also!

Enjoy your day!

There is no question that the weather has changed. It has! It is warm every day now. In fact, I turned the air conditioning on for the first time this year last night!

Key West’s cold time is generally mid Decemeber to mid February. This year it ran an extra month. Till mid March!

I am glad the cold is behind us!

Today is St. Patrick’s Day! A venerable day!

Many people go crazy on St. Patrick’s Day. Party time!

It never made sense to me. I have never participated as a mature adult. But must admit that I did as a young man. While in college!

I went to college in New York City. Manhattan College. A Catholic institution run by Christian Brothers.

New York City and St. Patrick’s Day are synominous. A big parade and an even bigger party afterwards!

It was my sophmore year. I was in the Air Force ROTC. Ergo, I marched in the parade.

I enjoyed the march. It was a big deal! Exciting! I found the discipline of marching interesting. The point of the parade I enjoyed most was when we passed the steps of St. Patrick’s Cathedral. The Cardinal would be sitting there in all his fine regalia. We would do a sharp eyes right as we went by. A wow!

Then following the parade, it was party time! I think every college from several hundred miles around came to New York for a big time fun day!

The issue was where to party. A private party was considered best. That meant a hotel room.

The hotels did not want us. No college students/parties! Hotel staffs went out of their way to discourage college students. College students were up to the task, however.

We had planned our St. Patrick Day onslaught about 2 months in advance. With ingenuity, of course. Remember, we were tomorrow’s leaders. So smart we were!

One of my friends had previously flunked out of Pennsylvania. Before you think ill of him, he did finally succeeed and became an outstanding doctor later in life. But at that phase of his existence, his father had reentered him in Manhattan to start anew.

While at the University of Pennsylvania, he had been a fraternity man. He contacted one of his fraternity brothers and the following scenerio was decided upon. The frat brother at Penn U wrote a letter to the Biltmore Hotel advising he would be in New York on business for one night, March 17th of course, and required a room. He got the room and a written reservation paper. Which he forwarded to my friend now at Manhattan.

My friend was not in the ROTC. So he was not in uniform. He dressed appropriately however. Suit, tie, dress coat and a homburg. A homburg for the unaware is a very formal man’s hat.

He looked the part!

He came with a suitacase. The suitcase was a large one and loaded with booze. The bottles of liquor made it extremely heavy!

We were worried about the check in. We were watching from a corner of the lobby. He got away with it!

There was one moment of concern, however. When the bellboy bent down to pick up the suitcase! His eyes bulged and he stopped in mid air! The bag was heavy! Rupture heavy!

The bell boy looked up at my friend and suddenly smiled. He knew what was going on. And fortunately for us, he did not care! He lifted that bag and away they went.

I am sure he was given a big tip! Probably $5 at a time when $.25 a bag was the going rate.

At some point we all made it up to the room. It was difficult getting there. No one was going to let me on an elevator in my Air Force ROTC uniform. I opted for the stairs. There was a security guard. I said to myself, what the hell! I faked to the right and went left around him. He chased me up a couple of floors and then gave up. I was much younger than him!

The room was packed when I arrived. The party was on big time! Guys, girls and booze. What a wonderful combination!

The young ladies came from all over. Many colleges were represented.

None of us could handle the liquor. We were too inexperienced!

Space was a problem. Where to sort of be alone with the opposite sex. The outside window sill was in use. The closet, also. I was young and smart. I ended up with this cute little preppy thing. I directed her to the bathroom and its bathtub. I took one of the pillows from the bed with me. We snuggled in the tub, with the curtain drawn of course. The bathroom continued in full use, but we were oblvious to its visitors and they to us.

Lest any one misunderstand, sex was limited to necking in those day. With very little touching, if at all. It was the mid 1950s. The 1960s and all its freedoms had not yet arrived.

At some point, my lady friend and I fell asleep. All of a sudden we were awakened by some older man in a suit. An assistant manager! We were told to leave. The room was empty. Apparently the party became too noisy, was discovered and management broke it up! We were the last to be discovered.

My lady friend was drunk. Oblivious to the world! Could hardly stand!

I asked her where she was from. She said Marymount. Marymount was a Catholic girls’ college in those days. Oh, those Catholics!

What to do with her? We were sort of bound at the hip. I could not just leave her.

I decided to take her back to Marymount. Ever the gentleman even then!

The train was required. I got her to the lower level of Grand Central. Note I am half carrying her. She was gone! I figured out which train to take. Got us to the gate! And luck befell both of us!

Her girl friends were there. Happy to have found her. They took her and took over.

That was my St. Patrick’s day that year. However, there is more to the story.

A week later Marymount was having a dance. I decided to go. I wanted to meet the young lady again. After all, I was her saviour!

I saw her at the dance. I went up to her expecting a big hug and thank you. No way! She looked at me blindly! Did not even want to talk to me. I felt like an ass!

I explained the party, our time in the tub, my taking her to the train station, etc. She recalled none of it and thought I was nuts!

She turned her back and walked away.

That was the end of our relationship.

They say good deeds never go for naught. Here is one that did.

Such is life!

I gave up partying on St. Patrick’s day. Bath tubs are too hard to sleep in!

Sundays are always good!

Lisa came over yesterday afternoon with Ally to swim. Robert stayed home with his father. A new thing. Robert is becoming manly. Does not want to be with the girls.

Ally is so much fun! We do hot chocolate when she comes over. A sweet thing for me in more ways than one!

Last night I had a light dinner with Marty at 915. First time I have eaten there. Tapas just not my thing. Food was good. Atmosphere could have been better. While I was sitting upstairs, I thought how much happier I would have been at Martin’s next door.

Then to the Pier House’s Wine Galley for the big night!

It was bigger and better than I had anticipated!

The place was jammed packed, inside and out. Not a seat to be had.

Larry Smith did his usual good job in putting together a top quality show. His musical talent is without peer. He organizes, directs, writes, performs. He does it all, including washing the windows! He is the whole package when it comes to music!

Kathleen Peace and Christine Cardone performed. What a duo! They sang Irish lyrics all night! Some I knew. Others I had never heard. All exciting to hear! There was occasionally audience participation. It was an outstanding St. Patrick’s Day party!

It was also Kathleen Peace’s birtrhday. The evening was intertwined with a celebration for her. Cake, candles and all! A lovely lady! A great talent! Happy birthday again, Kathleen!

Bob and Lynda Frascheete showed up during the performance with some professinal Irish performers.

First, there was a bag pipper. Kilt and all!

Then a singer.

Finally, two young ladies who danced what I would describe as the Irish jig. Terrific!

A good night was had by all! Key West friends and visitors joined together to celebrate a special occasion!

Sunday!

I slept late. So the blog is late. Sorry!

The big news of yesterday is the Syracuse/Louisville game for the Big East championship. Louisville won by 10 points.

It was as I had predicted. Syracuse ran out of steam in the second half. Not an excuse. Merely an observation and explanation. Too many overtimes and one game too many. This was the fifth game in five days for Syracuse.

The real killer was Louisville’s full court press. No way could Syracuse hold up to it after the previous 4 games.

Congrats to Louisville. Congrats also to Syracuse who played outstanding basketball in the tournamnet. Syracuse’s play will be recorded for the ages!

Now on to the NCAA tournamnet. I love March Madness!

Tonight is Kathleen Peace singing at the Wine Galley at the Pier House. Nine o’clock! Go! Listen to her! Enjoy! She is one of the finest!

Have a good day, my friends!