V-E DAY…..EXUBERANCE AND JOY

I was 10 years old. All of a sudden, there was noise and commotion such as I had never heard before. I ran outside.

People were on porches and in the street. Yelling and screaming. Crying. Waving American flags. Hitting pans with spoons.

Germany had surrendered. The day became known as V-E Day, standing for Victory in Europe.

No one worked. My father kept me with him all day. I suspect he knew how special the day was and wanted me to experience it.

We traveled around Utica. The atmosphere the same everywhere. Exuberance and joy. At some point during the day, Hitler appeared hung in effigy out of windows and on poles.

Downtown Utica a spectacle. Utica’s main four corners known as the Busy Corner. For two blocks in all directions, people crowding the streets. Crying and laughing. Much hugging and kissing. Dancing in the streets.

Other than V-J Day which arrived several months later, I have not observed such emotion following the end of a war. Feelings today not the same. Perhaps because not everyone has a piece in the war. Everyone in one fashion or another was involved during World War II. The pain felt in every household.

Dueling Bartenders last night. Terri singing! A wonder! The best!

Good friends Tom Luna and Rick Dery joining in. Liz and David in the audience.

Per usual, a good time!

Stopped at Publix on the way home. On the trip to my house, left Publix by the back side. Traveled a few blocks when a police car pulled me over.

I knew I was not doing anything wrong. The officer introduced himself. Before he could even ask for my driver’s license, etc., I asked what I had done wrong. Both brake lights were out, he said.

How would I know?

He checked my paperwork. Then quite politely told me no ticket, I was probably unaware, I should have the brake lights fixed in the morning. Also wanted to know if I knew hand signals. I went through all of them at his direction.

A gentleman. Performed his duty professionally, yet gently. The result an appropriate one. I rarely engage with the Key West Police Department. I assume the officer last night was typical of the Department.

Google News in its Key West Section has carried several of my blogs each day. Excites me!

Yesterday and today, the Section also ran the column I wrote for this week’s KONK Life: Can An Independent Be Elected President in 2020? Guy de Boer has to be happy as I am.

The reason I mention it is the photo Google ran with the column. An old one. At least 10 years. A bit of hair and a white beard. Google had to dig to find it.

The photo is of me in Greece . In the Village of Katapola on the island of Amorgos. In my friend Methos’ restaurant. Doing my blog. Never missed a day on the trip.

Amorgos is a favorite place of mine. Each trip, I spent at least a month there. The island is not tourist developed. A hundred years ago. Quiet and peaceful.

Time I returned.

The cost of housing in Key West out of whack. Sale and rental prices. I continue worrying the community is going to kill the goose that lays the golden egg.

Yearly rental prices at $3,000 a month common. Don’t get much for the money size wise or condition wise. Many sale prices in the millions again.

Colorado has a similar problem. Landlords evict renters who no longer can pay. Colorado laws must be easy. In Key West, it is difficult for a landlord to evict.

In any case, real estate costs are skyrocketing in Colorado. Especially in the Denver area. Forty five thousand evictions last year state wide.

Note this is occurring at a time when the economy is good for most. Better than in years.

Colorado officials tells us the problem has arisen because the economic recovery is uneven, there has been stagnant wage growth, and there is a lack of affordable real estate.

Sound familiar? Key West.

Ah, the Key West prostitutes of days gone by. Diana Millikan and I have been searching for Key West prostitutes going all the way back to 1650. To write a book. Difficult to find. Need to identify more to make a book.

Came up with a new one today. Thanks to the Key West Citizen. Alice Reid Griffin. Proprietor of a Key West house of ill repute in the late 1930’s and into the early 1940’s.

Alice brought two 17 year old females from Georgia to Key West to engage in immoral work. Alice was arrested for violation of the Mann Act/contributing to white slavery. Convicted in Federal Court. Sentenced to 3 years.

Three years a tough sentence back then for the charge. Behind the scenes, prostitution arrests were motivated by the U.S. Navy. Thousands of sailors were stationed in Key West. The Navy considered the whore houses immoral and unhealthy and constantly pushed local officials to make arrests.

My podcast tonight. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Join me for a quick moving hard hitting half hour. Tonight should be especially interesting considering the Iran announcement Trump will make this afternoon and Giuliani’s value to the Trump defense.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

2 comments on “V-E DAY…..EXUBERANCE AND JOY

  1. I had 3 ww2 Army uncles. One in Europe with Patton, one invaded Anzio, Italy, and one was in North Africa. They all made it.

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