KEY WEST SCHOOL SEGREGATION

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I came across an item concerning Fats Navarro this morning. The world famous trumpeter. He had a Key West connection. I checked it out.

Fats was a Conch. Born in Key West. Resided here through high school. Then departed for what turned out to be an exciting career.

He attended Douglass High School. I thought the name strange. Had never heard of a Key West high school by that name.

There was. It no longer exists.

It was the high school for blacks. At a time Key West, as much of the South, was segregated.

Today, there exists the Frederick Douglas Gymnasium in Bahama Village. A gym and community center. Serves the youth of Bahama Village. Many of whom are African-Americans. I could not ascertain whether the gym today was the building that housed the segregated high school of yesterday.

My yesterday a lot of running around. With little accomplished.

Tried to get an appointment for a manicure and pedicure. Tammy was all excited on the phone. No appointment till next week. I could not understand. I always get a timely appointment. I have been a weekly customer for years. Plus, this is not season.

I suspect something must be wrong at her end. I will find out next week.

A doctor appointment at 1. Then to the Cuban Coffee House for lunch. It was 2. A Cuban cheese toast and large Cuban coffee.

No way.

All the tables were occupied. The line waiting to place an order several deep.

I decided to go to the Pier House Beach Bar. Enjoyed fish and chips while observing the lovely ladies in swim attire. Never tires me.

On this day in 1945, Dachau was liberated. Hitler had killed 6 million Jews. It was supposed to be the last genocide. The world deceived itself. Genocides have been frequent since the end of World War II. Especially in Africa, the Middle East and Asia.

Dinner tonight with an old friend. Suzan Hebditch. A Canadian true and true.

I met Suzan many years ago. At Virgilio’s. She was vacationing here. As she does every few years.

I have not seen Suzan in 6-7 years.

She owns a guest house in Nova Scotia. The Bailey House Bed and Breakfast.

We are dining at Hot Tin Roof. I am sure it will be a fun time.

Enjoy your day!

 

PRIME STEAKHOUSE

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I have enjoyed Key West one way or another for 26 years. There are still places I have not visited. One is the Prime Steakhouse. I did last night.

The Prime Steakhouse is located at the end of Caroline Street. It sits on the level above the Dante pool. Parking in the garage underneath.

I guess I never stopped by because it was a block out of the way. Amazing.

The place is absolutely fantastic! Go! One negative. The prices. Off the wall. Worth it, however.

The walls are dark wood. Atmosphere clubby.

I arrived at 7. Very few people. I thought off season. By 7:30, there was not an empty table. I knew no one. Tourists.

Lunch was at the Pier House Beach  Bar. Stayed a while. Read the newspapers. Ran some errands afterwards.

Pouring like hell at the moment. Has been all morning.

The Marathon Airport has always been a failure. Large and beautiful. No action. The airlines found they could not make money flying into Marathon.

The airport stands empty, except for some private planes.

Marathon has considerable political clout. The unused airport is always getting one thing or another. The most recent is a U.S. Customs facility. For the Florida Keys/Marathon Airport. The airport that commercial airplanes do not fly into.

Dollars spent unwisely once again. The money should go into the Key West Airport which needs, amongst other things, an expanded U.S. Customs facility. People in large numbers fly into the Key West Airport every day. Into Marathon, few.

Pearl Washington died yesterday. Age 52. A brain tumor. He fought to live for several years.

Pearl is one of the greatest players to ever don a Syracuse basketball uniform. I watched most of the home games during the three seasons he played. 1983-1986.

Syracuse loved Pearl. This year’s team wore a uniform emblem in his honor.

Things were a bit tough for Pearl. Syracuse University did not fail him. He had a home at the University.

May he rest in peace.

President Obama is in Saudi Arabia. Relations between the countries are strained. Beginning with whether Saudi Arabia had a hand in 9/11.

There have been economic and other threats the past few days coming from Saudi Arabia against the U.S.

An insult to Obama upon his arrival. No #1 or other high Saudi figure met Obama when his plane landed. Some governor from a province greeted him.

Screw these guys. Not a time to pussy foot around with them. Call their bluff. They need us more than we need them. The pendulum has swung. The U.S. no longer desperate for Saudi oil.

My KONK Life column this week Clarence Thomas / Anita Hill. KONK Life hit the stands yesterday. The column was linked to my Key West Lou website this morning. .keywestlou.com.

The article interesting. I wrote it from the perspective of the five key players in the confirmation hearings.

Enjoy your day!

EVENING NOT AS PLANNED

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The best laid plans of mice and men…..

My evening was planned. Syracuse basketball. I rarely miss a game. Everything else is pushed to the side.

There were two other things that could have been on my plate last night.

The annual Pier House Christmas Show. Starring dear friends Larry Smith, Kathleen Peace, Skipper Kripitz and Christine Cordone. Syracuse basketball superseded them.

The other was dinner with Cheryl and Roger. Now living in Cape Coral, they are visiting Key West for two weeks. Cocktails instead. Syracuse basketball taking priority.

I had lunch yesterday at the Pier House Beach Bar. Lovely Jaynine bartending. I could hear singing coming from the outer deck by the old Wine Galley. Knew the voice. Kathleen Peace!

I walked back to say hello. Larry and Skipper rehearsing with Kathleen. Hugs, kisses and a few moments of chatting. Told Larry I would not be there in the evening. Syracuse basketball. He could not understand why I would pick basketball over the show.

Different strokes for different folks.

An observation. Larry, Kathleen, Skipper and Christine are Key West. I repeat, they are Key West. None more representative.

I met Cheryl and Roger at the Sq. 1  bar at 5. They knew I would be leaving at 6:30 to watch the Syracuse game. It was good to see them. It had been several months. A couple of drinks and appetizers. At exactly 6:30, I left for home.

I settled in my recliner and turned on the TV. The game had already started. The score 10-10. The next thing I knew it was the start of overtime. I had fallen asleep and missed the whole game!

Some days I can’t win for losing.

Syracuse lost to Wisconsin in overtime 66-58. The sports news this morning indicates Syracuse played poorly. One problem was the boards. Syracuse was out rebounded 51-25.

On to the next game.

My yesterday began with the anti-gravity treadmill. I am into something new. Working on my heart rate. I go fast for 30 seconds and then to a slow walk for 2 minutes. Not jogging. Walking very fast. Reached the highest speeds yet that way. As long as it does not kill me, it is good for me.

Keys History this morning reported that on this day in 1900 a ship left Key West for New York. The ship carried 1,846,000 cigars which had been made in Key West. A lot of cigars! What an industry! Gone now from Key West.

My friend Anna lives in Navara, Italy. We have not communicated in months. Received an e-mail from her yesterday. It was in Italian. Strange. She always writes in English. There was a warning across the e-mail. Do not open. People will steal your money, etc.

I did not open. Forwarded it to Anna, however.

An hour later, I received a telephone call from Anna. She was sitting in the Novara police station. Someone got into her e-mail. One of her bank accounts was already 5,700 euros light. About $8,000 American money. She warned me not to open the e-mail sent me which I already knew.

She telephoned again later when she returned home. She was obviously upset. Anna is affluent. However, also conservative. Watches every penny.

She was in Chamonix last weekend. A small ski town over the Italian border in France. About an hour’s drive from her home. For the first time, she had to show ID before she was permitted to enter France.

It was reported this morning that Saudi Arabia has scheduled a mass execution of 50 persons. All political activists, except for a Palestinian poet. All to be beheaded at one time.

I wonder how it is going to be done. I reported a year ago that Saudi Arabia was publicly advertising for beheaders. More were needed. Understandable. Saudi Arabia big at beheading.

Is each person to be executed to have his/her own beheader? Or, will one do all 50? I am not trying to be funny. Based on the want ad last year, that many executions at one time could be a problem for Saudi Arabia.

I love Saudi Arabia! They gave us $4 a gallon gasoline, 17 of the 21 9/11 terrorists were Saudi Arabian citizens. The same Saudi Arabia that is supposedly our friend. Saudi Arabia also has refused to take any of the Syrian refugees in. Their own people. Muslims.

Enjoy your day!

 

RUNNING OF THE BULLS

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Pamplona, Spain and Key West were one yesterday. The Running of the Bulls!

I was there. Hemingway look alikes. Dressed Pamplona style. White shirts and pants. Red berets and waist bands. White hair and beards, of course.

The bulls machete and wood on wheels.

The race as in Pamplona. Pure chaos. If real bulls, several of yesterday’s Hemingways would be no more. Fun to watch. Exciting.

Paula Deen in Key West again this year for Hemingway Days. Her husband Michael Grover a Hemingway look alike contestant. I did not see her this year.

Lunched at the Pier House Beach Bar afterwards. Duval was too busy and hot with all the people. Chatted with Janine.

I have always had difficulty spelling Janine’s name. What I am writing today is correct. First time I have had it right. I mentioned my problem with spelling her name. I added it was fortunate her sister Mary had a simple name. Janine looked at me and said no she doesn’t. Her name is spelled Mari. With an i and not a y.

Ran into Michael at the Beach Bar. Michael was already a Key Wester when I started coming 26 years ago. I first met him at Atlantic Shores. He was a regular. Bare assed and bronzed. I had not seen him in 15 years. He is still bronzed. As to bare assed, I do not know. He was not yesterday.

Spent some time later in the afternoon researching this week’s KONK Life column. More research to do and then writing it. Will be done today. The topic/title Harry Truman’s Mother In Law.

Dinner at Roostica last night.

Lobster Mini Season a few days away. Wednesday and thursday. Thirty thousand expected for the event.

This is year 50 for Christ of the Deep. A 9 foot bronze statue of Christ was planted under water in the John Pennekamp State Park near Key Largo fifty years ago. Only 25 feet down, many have seen and enjoyed the statue. Even to the point of touching Christ’s hands and face.

Heard from Anna again. She is still on Amorgos. Has a problem. She has to be out of her accommodation 7/31. Her ferry boat reservation is for 8/5. She is having trouble finding a room. No wonder. Things are cheap in certain areas of Greece this season. Even cheaper on a small hidden away island such as Amorgos. A place that has few accommodations to start.

Maybe she will have to sleep on the beach.

Anna tells me there are many French tourists. The reason is that a good portion of the French movie Le Grand Bleu was filmed in the waters off Amorgos. The French and others visit because of the film. It was a winner when first filmed. Won many awards. Today, a cult film.

The car works. The key turns easily.

Enjoy your Sunday!

POPE WRONG

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A perfect Key West day in the making! Everything just right. No wind. You can hear the silence. Sun shining. No clouds. Colors bright and cheerful.

I took a walk yesterday morning. Afterwards, I went over to the Pier House Beach Bar for a cup of coffee. Sat at the corner of the bar reading the newspapers. It was around noon. Cool to cold on the water. No one on the beach even though the sun was shining.

One of the newspapers was USA Today. Its feature front page article concerned Pope Francis and recent statements he made concerning birth control. I disagree with those statements. The first time I have disagreed with anything he has had to say.

The Pope opposes artificial means of birth control. That means the pill, inserted devices and condoms amongst others. “No need to breed like the rabbits” he said. The Pope said there should be “responsible parenting.”

The Pope recommended Church approved ways to limit pregnancy be used. The primary one being the rhythm system. Most who have tried it understand that in reality it is Vatican roulette. You take your chances with regard to a pregnancy.

All Catholic women were religious back in the 1950s and 1960s. Good Catholics. They would not think of practising birth control. Couples were having babies like crazy.

We had five pregnancies in 5 years. We lost the last one. We were the perfect example of the failure of the rhythm system. I was very much involved with the process. I kept track of the daily temperature readings. I had a chart on the back of the bedroom door so we would not screw up.

Eventually, priests realized the hardships involved in not practising birth control. A time arrived when women would go to confession and tell the priest they were practising birth control. Instead of denouncing the conduct, the priests were telling the ladies to follow their conscience.

Catholic Churches are empty today. I believe one of the reasons is the birth control issue. It started driving people away as early as the 1960s and 1970s.

I have strong feelings re the issue. I believe the Catholic Church’s position is based on man’s misinterpretation of the Bible. Just as some present day followers of Mohammed misinterpret the Koran.

The basketball game got me fouled up. My blog talk radio show was at 9. At 9, I was so engrossed in the Syracuse/Boston College game that I forgot what time it was. As a result, the show started 10 minutes late. I could only do a 20 minute show. Sorry.

Syracuse won 69-61. The team looked good and bad. I have no further comment.

I had to contend with the State of the Union which began at 9. I went through this last year. My total numbers will be consistent. Those that did not listen last night, will do so during the week in the archive or on Facebook or You Tube.

I caught the last part of the State of the Union address. Caught the rest in reruns through the night. It was a sales pitch. Democratic candidates should have used the information provided in the November elections instead of walking away from the President.

I find the State of the Union exciting to watch. It is part of our governmental process. Whether you agree with the President had to say is immaterial. The speech is as American as apple pie.

KONK Life publishes this week’s column today. Debtors’ Prison. It has also been posted to my Key West Lou page. Left hand corner, second listing. It is titled KONK Life Key West Lou Column. It is easy to find from that point. One click away.

The column is also featured today on WordPress. An accident in figuring out some things to get the posting working correctly. After today, the column will no longer appear on WordPress. Only Key West Lou.

Enjoy your day!