I MET STEVEN

There is a mean ill tempered individual named Steven who Comments re this blog. Not a nice guy. Enjoys beating me up.

I was having dinner last night at the bar at Tavern ‘n Town. A man shows up. “I’m Steven.” “You’re Steven?” “Yes, I’m Steven.”

A few more words and I realized Steven was not the bad one.

Steven advised he has been reading my blog for years. Never commented, however. Enjoys the blog tremendously. He and his wife Sandy have a place on Sugarloaf. Their home Cape May, New Jersey.

I am familiar with Cape May. On the Jersey Shore. Visited many Cape May restaurants when a guest at Frank and Lois Paladino’s summer home in nearby Stone Harbor.

We had an enjoyable conversation. Steven and I are at different ends of the political spectrum. He likes Trump. No problem, we agreed. We could talk civilly.

He and the wife are returning to Cape May in five days. They came down to evaluate the Irma damage to their Sugarloaf home.

We agreed to get together when he returns in January.

I finished dinner and went to pay the bill. Steven had already paid it. Went over to thank him. Met Sandy. I  look forward to our January meeting. Dinner on me!

The evening was unique in a sense. I started at Aqua. Dueling Bartenders. Tom Luna and Rick Dery at their best.

Liz and friends at the bar. I sat next to Liz. I was pleased to see her out. She spent about 10 days recently in the hospital getting her life long diabetes under control.

Liz and friends left to have dinner at Mangoes. Invited me. I declined.

David was seated on the other side of me. Had him working on my cell phone. I lost my messages app. David a cellphone/computer guru. Like the children of today. He found the app. However could not place the icon on the screen for me. Told me to talk with Sloan.

I asked for my bill. No bill. Liz had picked up my bill. The evening was unique in the sense I paid neither my drinking nor dinner bills.

I can now afford to go our another evening this week.

Joking, of course..

Spent yesterday afternoon working on tonight’s podcast show. Interesting topics. Like reptiles in toilets, abortion and Congressman Tim Murphy, the government back in our bedrooms and sex lives, third Charlottesville confrontation since 8/12.

Also, Sally the Salad Bar Robot, post-Irma Key West recovery, Happy Birthday Afghanistan, Puerto Rico still without power, Trump and Venezuela, bankers legal thieves in the U.S., fish fall from the sky, and more.

A fast moving half hour. Some topics eye openers. All shared from my perspective, of course.

Join me. Nine my time. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Yesterday, Columbus Day. I wrote yesterday I  expected turmoil. Protesters who want the name of the day changed and Columbus statues removed.

Turns out protests were minimal. Not at all in many cities.

New York’s parade was its 73rd. Thirty five thousand marched. No demonstrations. A couple of incidents reported.

Denver was the place for the action. Denver is recognized as the birthplace of Columbus Day. Demonstrations described as peaceful. One hundred forty seven arrested, however.

Demonstrators showed up. Primarily Native Americans. They were asked by police if they wanted to be arrested. One hundred forty seven volunteered. The rest quietly watched the parade.

Native Americans want the label for the day to be changed from Columbus day to Indigenous Peoples’ Day, aka Native Americans Day.

They say Columbus brutalized and enslaved West Indians.

The chant of the Denver protests: Sitting Bull would be proud of us.

I’m missing something here. As I recall, Native Americans scalped, killed entire white families after torturing them (including rape of the women), and kept captured whites and Indians as slaves.

Native Americans who want a day Sitting Bull and their ancestors would be proud of should pick another date to honor their heritage. Leave mine alone. I am of Italian heritage. My mother and both sets of grandparents were born in Italy.

Curb debris continues to be a challenge. The debris of epic proportions.With all the removal so far, only 17-18 percent has been removed. It is estimated there were 400,000 cubic yards. Seventy thousand removed thus far.

There are many trucks involved in the removal. FEMA is sending four more. The removal a big time task!

I have to hustle. A test at the hospital at 12:30. The beginning of many tests. Primary purpose to determine why I am tired all the time. Close to exhaustion some time.

Enjoy your day!

 

TERRI WHITE SINGS

Tonight…..Terri White sings! At Blue Heaven. 6:30-9:30.

This is Terri’s first Key West performance since returning. She is retired. Moved back home to Key West with her wife Donna. Terri will do an occasional Key West gig. Nothing more.

Terri is officially retired. She had no choice. She went blind rather suddenly in one eye. If my recollection is correct, her last solo performance was at Kennedy Center. She fell off the stage. Her depth perception is shot.

I will be at Blue Heaven enjoying Terri. My evening will be doubly pleasing. Jenna will be with me.

I did nothing yesterday. Laid around. Read, napped and watched TV. I am taking it easy till we are sure what if anything is going on with my heart.

Hemingway. I have been reading a lot of Hemingway this past week. Not his works. Stories about the man himself. Interesting and revealing.

Hemingway was not a nice guy all the time. Especially as he got older. Mean.

Once an enemy, always an enemy. He wrote of his former friends, now enemies, as characters in his books. Making them look bad.

His sex life all over the place. Besides several wives, he had at least two long term affairs with lesbian women. Who apparently became bi as a result.

Hemingway is considered to have been bisexual by several who wrote about him. Going as far back as F. Scott Fitzgerald during their Paris days.

I would love to write a Hemingway column taking in all these facets. Too much involved, however. Also, I would owe it to the man to research even more deeply than I have. A lot of work. A ton of material. It would have to be a novel.

Anna telephoned yesterday from the Milan airport. She was waiting for a plane to Athens. She decided not to let the immigration problem screw up her summer.

She will spend a few days in Athens in a small hotel near Playka. She promised to visit my favorite outside cafe and drink a silent gin and tonic toast to me.

Her second stop will be Santorini. Things safe there, she says. After that, not sure. Maybe Amorgos.

I envy her.

She mentioned that Silvio Berlusconi had heart surgery ten days ago in Milan. An aortic valve replacement. Appears to be doing well.

My primary problem is with my aortic valve. Interestingly, my father’s problem was with his aortic valve.

Anna follows Berlusconi’s doings closely. Most Italians do. In spite of everything, he is a loved man in Italy. Anna says Putin has been in constant touch with Berlusconi. The two are known close friends. Putin built a home next door to Berlusconi in Portofino.

Trump in Scotland as seen on TV. Boring. Unimpressive.

My sense is he did not have a crowd. Hard to determine. The camera remained on him and never showed us those listening to him.

Americans are movie lovers. Especially of the old west. On this day in 1876, the Battle of Little Bighorn took place. Custer and his 200 men were wiped out by Chiefs Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull. The Native Americans had 3,000 against Custer’s 200.

I have to research this week’s KONK Life column today. I research on saturday and write on sunday. My usual problem again. Do not know yet what I am going to write about.

Enjoy your day!