Harry's Home for Wayward Crack Users

Our "beloved little orange motel", as one of our former staff called the Sea Dell, was recently hosting a guest who apparently began running a little "business" out of his room. At first, I thought he and his lady friend were just a couple of the routine characters that blow through the Keys on a regular basis. He wore lots of gold bling and seemed a bit out of it but down here, that is pretty normal! Paid for the room in cash from a thick wad of hundreds. It wasn't until his lady friend left and a gentleman replaced her the next day, and then subsequently a hoard of various men in and out all in various stages of degenerate appearance. Maybe I should have thought something was awry when the guest accidently called 911 twice (he told me he dialed 9 for an outside line and got confused) and the sheriffs showed up and an ambulance. Or when the guest kept asking various staff for towels and we finally put two and two together that each new homeless guest was using the room to clean up and then get high. How could we complain when every time we voiced a concern, the guest peeled off a large bill as a tip to a staff member? Being a bit naive in this area of drug use, it took us a while to figure out the scene. I mean, these guys were as nice as could be!! When the sheriff stopped by looking for one of the fellows wanted on a warrant, we had to evict. And now, we are sanitizing and repainting after having to throw out all of the bedding. And, I now know what crack smells like.

Thanksgiving

It is very interesting to me that someone can say something very simple, in daily conversation, that has a lasting and profound impact. What causes the weight of some words to be heavier than others? My newly created blog is the result of such an interaction. I was told that I did not tend to be "introspective". This was not a criticism, but simply an observation, given to me by my beloved older sister. I am taking that observation as a gift.

My blog is my attempt to expand my "introspective" nature! But on a more selfish plane (if there can be one for after all, spewing my thoughts for the world seems rather selfish), I want a way to connect with all of the wonderful people in my life that I do not get to interact with as often as I would like. My hope is that they will add their comments and we can form a community of sharing ideas, thoughts and profundities!

And let us all take time to think of all of the many blessings we have and all that we are thankful for, not only today, but every day.