POOR JEAN

The star of Irma and Me obviously is Irma. The co-star is Jean Thornton. Lovely friend whose home I stayed in for 12 days while escaping the wrath of Irma.

Jean and husband Joe left two days ago for the trip of a life time. A thirty day European cruise. Jean telephoned me the day before they left all excited.

Jean and Joe most deserving of this trip of trips.

They flew first from Birmingham to Atlanta. Then a plane to Madrid from whence the Viking cruise would begin.

The Madrid flight took off timely at 5:50 from Atlanta. Returned to Atlanta minutes later. The landing gear would not go up.

A wait for another plane. They finally took off at 11.

The plane arrived in Madrid at 10 in the morning Madrid time. Jean and Joe extra beat because of the additional hours involved. The wait for their bags took long. The line at Customs forever.

Jean and Joe finally found their Viking guide and were walking through the crowded airport to a bus.

When Jean went through Customs, she returned her passport to her over the shoulder bag. She zippered the bag. The bag had a safety latch. She forgot to snap the safety latch.

Somewhere on the walk to the bus, Jean’s purse was picked. A small wallet containing 3 credit cards, 1 debit card and 90 euros stolen.

Joe saw it happening. Too late. The thief lost in the crowd.

Then the aggravation of calling the banks and companies to report the stolen cards. Jean does not know what port and how the new cards will reach her. Fortunately, Joe has his credit cards.

What a way to start the trip of a life time.

Poor Jean.

The Chart Room first last night. John, Kevin, Molly, Steve and Cindy.

Met three young ladies. Thought they were in their mid twenties. Turned out to be in their mid thirties. Becky, Erin and Adrienne.

Two married. One divorced. All have children.

Becky and Erin from Minneapolis. Adrienne from Portland, Oregon. Becky associated with a mortgage company, Erin in IT, and Adrienne a physical therapist.

The ladies went to college together. They have been friends for 20 years. They take a trip together every year. This their first visit to Key West.

We had a pleasant chat. I suggested the Duval Street dens of inequity they should visit.

I was hungry. Tavern ‘n Town. Lamb chops.

Met Joel at the bar. An interesting guy. Born, raised and educated in Puerto Rico. He has a Doctorate in physics. Thirty five. Now living in the Maryland with his wife and three children. Employed by the government. In Key West performing some task for the government.

I was impressed he was a physicist. Has to be a smart man. I could not even have earned a bachelor’s degree in physics. Too difficult.

We talked about the hurricanes and Puerto Rico. A sad conversation. Things still extremely bad in his home country.

The key to our discussion was the failure of the US to take care of its own. Puerto Ricans are US citizens.

We agreed Puerto Rico should become a State so the recent failure to help does not occur again.

Saturday a big day! A day for athletes! The Cow Key Bridge Run.

Race begins at noon. More than 1,000 participating.

The race is designed for athletes who don’t like to wake up early or break a sweat.

The bridge is 300 feet long. The length of the race. Described as a Zero K. Participants generally dress in bovine attire. Cows galore. All ages.

A few take the race seriously. The record time is 23.1 seconds.

Following the race, there is a Moos and Booze Survivors’ Party behind the 24 North Hotel on Northern Boulevard.

Only in Key West!

The Keys had a large chorale group for years. Somewhere along the way, it stopped being. A new chorale group has formed. Singers from Marathon to Key West.

The group’s first performance is sunday at 4 at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church on Duval. Fifty singers. Practicing since February. Everything from Mendelssohn to Billy Joel.

Ian Welsh is a Toronto blogger.

I have learned from my Canadian trips that the people think to a different tune than Americans. Though friends, their thought process different from ours.

A recent Welsh blog published titled The Push For War With Syria (and Russia?). Welsh takes the position the chemical attack has not been proven, Assad had nothing to gain by doing it and everything to lose, attacking Syria would be insanity even if chemical weapons were used. He believes the US should never have become involved in Syria’s nasty war in the first place. It was and is Russia’s headache.

Again, Canadians speak their mind. As Welsh concluded: “Perhaps Americans could, in general, learn to mind their own goddamn business. The world, and the US, would both be better places.”

I take no position re Welsh’s thoughts. I merely share them with you.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

3 comments on “POOR JEAN

  1. Supposedly there are pickpockets that can take the cash out or your wallet while it is in your pocket. I heard of pick pocket schools in S.America.

  2. What to do if you lose your passport while traveling abroad

    •Find and contact the nearest US embassy or consulate. …
    •If your passport has been stolen, file a police report. …
    •Take a new passport photo. …
    •Fill out an application for a new passport and a statement regarding your lost or stolen passport. …
    •Go to the nearest US embassy or consulate to obtain your new passport.

  3. You can see the problem. How to attack Assad because he killed innocent civilians without killing innocent civilians yourself?

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