BOB is back! Decided to get off his ass and continue the story. Actually, my fault. Without BOB, so much material. Becomes a pick and choose situation every day.
I will try to do better.
We left Bum Farto when he and 29 other Key Westers had been arrested on federal drug charges. Bum ceased his drug activities while awaiting trial. He did continue with his side prostitution business. He had ladies working for him. He would drive them in El Jefe to their Johns and pick them up afterward for transport to the next John.
He continued as Fire Chief. He also continued as a Little League team manager. He would drive El Jefe down the left field line. Lime green. A El Jefe sign on the side. The bright gold eagle on the hood. Reflector glass and two sawed off shot guns.
Bum would light a candle on the hood of El Jefe before every game. He had found religion. The reason for the candle. And other things.
The religion was Santeria. A form of voodoo.
Santeria is an Afro-American religion of Caribbean origin. The slaves brought it with them from Africa. Their descendants continued practicing the faith.
The religion has some weird aspects. Trances, communication with ancestors and deities, animal sacrifice, and more. Santerians sacrifice animals daily.
The authorities thought the religion strange. Persecution and prosecution became the order of the day. As far back as the early 1500’s.
To save themselves from pain and death, practitioners of the faith merged their customs with Roman Catholicism in Cuba in 1515. The term Santeria means worship of saints.
Today, there are 22,000 Santeria followers in the United States.
Such was the religion Bum selected to help him in his hour of woe.
The religion had rituals galore. It is claimed Bum practiced one while awaiting trial. He smashed eggs in the doorway to the court house. He would then step over them. He was to receive good luck by so doing.
We shall see.
Yesterday an easy one. A haircut at noon. Lori in Maine on vacation. One of the other girls cut my hair. Lori had left her a detailed list as to what to do.
I have little hair. Fuzz. Still needs to be kept neat. It is not just a #1 over the top. Hair grows everywhere as one gets old. The nose, ears and eyebrows have to be done. Such is life!
Lori’s associate did well.
Then lunch at Sandy’s Cafe. I have come to love the place and its sandwiches. Quiet. Cool. I read the newspapers, watch a little TV, and enjoy. The staff friendly. I have become a regular.
Devoted a few hours in the afternoon to pleasure reading. I am into Madeleine Albright’s Fascism.
Last night, a new experience. The Blue Macaw.
I was looking for a new bar on Southard. Phone rang. It was Terri. What are you doing? Terri was at the Blue Macaw alone. Join me, she said. Told her I was on my way.
The Blue Macaw a year old. Everyone speaks well of it. I never made it till last night.
In Bahama Village. Corner of Whitehead and Petronia. Open air. Huge space.
Happy Hour 4-9. Food excellent. Prices cheap.
I had a good time. Chatted with Terri at the bar. Chatted with a couple on my other side. They let me taste their food as I kept looking at it. My meal was wings. Theirs ribs and broiled shrimp. Plus, cheese covered fries.
Paul came over to say hello. We had never met before. However, he told me he has been reading this blog daily for years. An instantaneous relationship. I love everyone who reads this blog.
Turns out he is a regular at the Blue MacCaw. I met his partner Ron who reads me also.
The place filled quickly. A gold mine!
Terri was in Key West in the 1970’s. Told me the Blue McCaw reminds her of that time.
The move is on to ban plastic throwaway items like straws. Some one mentioned in the Citizens’ Voice section of the Key West Citizen this morning that dependence on plastic products is an “environmental death sentence.”
The Citizen weatherman continues to amuse me. Saturday’s prediction is “Morning shower; sleep in.” Sunday’s is “Morning shower; sleep in again.”
Several years ago, I wrote an article for KONK Life titled Hemingway’s First Love. It has been rerun on KONK Life E-Blast this morning. Worth reading.
Enjoy your day!