ML PARTY AT THE GALLEON

I finally made an ML fundraiser. ML is running for Fantasy Queen. The winner is determined by who raises the most money for AIDS Help. There are several candidates and big money involved.

ML’s party was at the Galleon outside bar. The place was packed!

I got to see JJ. My old friend from the Chart Room. He is now bartending at the Galleon.

Howard Livingston and wife Cindy were in attendance. Howard was performing. Howard and I have been friends for 16 years since first we met at the bar at Mangoes when we both were involved with house remodeling and construction. A nicer person does not exist!

Relatively new found friend Susie was busy working. She is one of ML’s co-chairs. Susie bought and brought a number of my books. The World Upside Down was an auction item. I did some book signing before they were put out.

Met Fiona and her brother Johnny. Fiona was a law office administrator for 20 plus years somewhere on the Jersey Shore. She has retired to Key West. Has an apartment somewhere off Duval behind the Grand. Her brother Johnny is from Chicago. Spends some of his Key West days working at Home Depot.

Key West publisher Guy deBoer and I chatted a while. I like Guy. He works hard. It is the only way.

Guy publishes KONK Life where my weekly newspaper column appears. More importantly, Guy and ML are a couple. For several years.

Met a lot of nice people. Unfortunately and apologetically, I cannot remember all their names.

Though it is obvious, I want everyone to be aware. ML is my choice for Fantasy Fest Queen.

My day started with the x-ray I was supposed to have had wednesday. Purpose to determine if I have any disk impingement which is causing my sciatica type pain.

Then to Don’s Place. I had a meeting. Great atmosphere in which to conduct business. My desk is the Truman corner of the bar. Hemingway had his Sloppy Joe’s. I have Don’s Place.

I spent the afternoon working on tuesday evening’s blog talk radio show. Preparation is everything. I came across an interesting item involving bigotry. The New York Times’ David Brooks commented on the topic recently.

First, Louis’s recollection. There was a time in the 1950s and 1960s, and probably before, when Jews and Gentiles rarely married. A religious thing. Primarily from the Jewish side. A parental no no. I had a law school Catholic friend who married a Jewish lady. They were head over heels in love. The marriage lasted three years. The family pressures were too much.

Now comes Brooks’ item. It involves political bigotry. He wrote that in 1960,  5 percent of Republicans and 4 percent of Democrats said they would be “…..displeased if their children married someone of the opposite party…..By 2010…..numbers had jumped to 49 percent and 33 percent.” No wonder the two parties cannot get along! The dislike/hatred runs deep!  So much for the enlightened era we live in.

I had some time to kill before the ML party. I stopped into the Island Dogs Bar for a drink. First time in several years. A cute place on Front Street. The building sits next to the Pier House parking lot. The Bar is primarily frequented by tourists.

Colorful! Pleasant! I sat and watched happy tourists come and go. The Islands Dog Bar provides them with a a perfect space.

Island Dogs Bar is owned by world famous Jim Croce and Dave Thibault. Dave is Michael and Nancy’s son in law. He has made a huge success of the Island Dogs Bar. They are very proud of him.

I like Michael. In another time, we played golf together He bartends for Don. Nancy was Don’s business manager for years. She is now involved in the Fausto operation.

I like Michael. Love Nancy.

Tonight, Syracuse/Notre Dame at the Meadowlands. Syracuse will lose. Unfortunately. However, that is the way it is. I plan on watching the game at Don’s Place.

I am into my last two days of steroids. What happens when I go off?

Enjoy your day!

 

PAT CROCE

 

Pat Croce has come into our lives.

I was babysitting for a couple of hours yesterday. When I went to pick up Robert and Ally, Robert showed me a book he had purchased earlier in the day at a garage sale for $1. The Pirate Handbook by Pat Croce. He is into pirates.

I asked 9 year old Robert if he knew who Jim Croce was. He did not. I proceeded to tell him about the Pirate Museum that no longer was, the Rum Barrel, Island Dogs, and the Green Parrot. He knew of the Rum Barrel having seen it while riding by. He knew not the other entities.

I explained who Pat Croce was. The Philadelphia 76ers, his entrepreneurial background. Robert was duly impressed.

We were going to lunch. We had earlier decided on the Ocean Key House deck. The grandkids enjoy sitting by the water at a colorful table under an equally colorful umbrella. Robert had the hot dog the last time we were there. Delicious! I had tasted it. Robert and I both wanted a hot dog. Ally never changes. A cheeseburger and French fries.

We discussed stopping at the Rum Barrel. The Ocean Key won out because of the hot dogs.

The Ocean Key House deck was a mistake. The hot dogs were nowhere as good as the last time. Robert and I looked at each other after our first bites. Bad! Robert finished all of his. I not even half. Ally of course put everything down. They are good eaters.

Our waitress irritated me. From the second we sat down, it was like she did not want us there. Cool. Showed us none of the cheerfulness she showed other customers. Robert and Ally both made mention that she did not like us. We needed more diet soda. Could not even get the waitress’ eye. Never the less, she was running around refilling free glasses of water at two tables near us.

We were customers, too! The grandkids and I discussed the situation. I explained to them she probably thought we would not be spending much money or looked like we were poor tippers. The situation quietly irritated me a bit. The three orders of fries cost $2.50 extra for each of us. The sodas were equally as expensive. No water for us. We were spending money!

My heart is always in the right place. I said nothing and left her a 20 per cent tip on a $53 bill.

We agreed we would not be returning soon. Not because of the waitress. We did not like the hot dogs.

We further agreed the next time it would be the Rum Barrel.

My afternoon was spent finishing this week’s KONK Life column. It is about Iceland’s revolution that had its beginnings in 2008. The one we never heard about. The thrust of the column is the U.S. mainstream media’s silence. Which I attribute to the mega corporations that own our TV, radio, newspaper and magazine outlets.

The column was a bit long. Detail was required that made it long. I had to cut it in half. A Part I this week and a Part II next week. Guy de Boer was going crazy over the phone. Too long to print!

I am still autographing books. My recently published one. The World Upside Down. An interesting experience.

The book is available on the internet in e book and soft cover paper back. Love the cover! Amazon.com, Barnesandnoble.com and Absolutelyamazingebooks.com. The book makes for a thoughtful Christmas gift.

My blog talk radio show tomorrow night at 9. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou. Two things for certain I will be discussing. The winds of revolt in Italy and questioning why McCain was in Ukraine. He has become an irritating troublemaker.

Enjoy your day!