Six Years Old Already

This year, I made it to Jack's birthday celebration. I haven't missed any of Jack or Ruby's birthdays, except last year when I ended up driving to the hospital from the airport for my kidney stone's birth of its own. Since my girlfriend Fern was with me, as she was last year, to fly back to Cleveland after a visit, the deja vu was a little eerie. This time the only glitz was a traffic delay causing me to miss my original flight and have to scramble to find another, which ended in me going to Cleveland instead of Detroit - so when Fern and I managed to fly home on the same flight, in the same row of seats, that was a good twist of fate.

I enjoyed spending time with Matt, Megan and family as always. This visit included a wild dinner with Megan's folks and sister and her family at a Hibachi restaurant. Lots of noise and commotion, including gongs, fire, etc. I like Megan's family very much and always enjoy spending time with them, and also appreciate that they include me in their family. We also went bowling and frankly, Jack and Ruby scored better than Matt, Megan or I. We need bumpers. And the final extravaganza was the birthday party at Chuckie Cheese. Not the choice of most adults, but boy, do they know how to make a kid feel special. I have included a video of the excitement.



I really enjoy seeing the contrasts between Ruby and Jack. Ruby is talkative, and Jack is quiet. Getting information out of Jack about school, friends, and any activity that occurs away from home is like trying to get a child to allow you to pull a loose tooth. It isn't going to happen until they are ready. Ruby, on the other hand, would chat your ear off. I also noticed, that now Ruby instigates much of the poking and bugging that occurs between the siblings. Jack is rough and tumble and yet also incredibly tender. He will surprise you with very loving words. He wears a smile easily and seems to be quite content in his own skin. Ruby is showing signs of two year old obstinacy and can put a real scowl on when needed. My friend Peggy describes her as quirky and she can be very amusing. All dressed in her favorite pink coat and pink boots and then she pulls on a Cleveland Browns hat down to her eyebrows like a rap singer when ready to go out. I had to laugh at watching their violin practice. Ruby, at two, is much more compliant and a bit of a ham. Jack looks bored. But put him on his drums, and that boy can rock!

As for Megan and Matt. They are enjoyable to be around always. I love the music that fills their home. I captured this little glimpse of Megan playing a piece for her own enjoyment. Just amazing kids.

Vindication

After speaking to the witness to my accident, my insurance company is backing me up and the case is closed. I am not responsible for the accident and the police are wrong. Now, I have to wait to see what magic the lawyer can do and then I can write my letters to the head of the Florida Highway patrol. We have since learned that not only was I ticketed for something I did not do, the driver of the truck who hit me was hauling a trailer without brakes which is illegal in the State of Florida. I am a victim of DWW. Driving While White, or Driving White Woman, or Driving Wasp Woman. The policeman was young and Hispanic and so was the truck driver. And I was not.
Just another old fogey...

The "season" is upon us. That means all of the snowbirds are heading down, which means all of my golf friends are here and lots of business for the Keys. I remember being a snowbird and coming down to Florida every winter for one week. That dose of sun was just enough to get me through that long Cleveland winter - just barely. When my parents had a place in Zero Beach (Vero Beach which now would probably seem quite lively to me) we sometimes drove down and back in that week span when we were too poor to fly. We would golf, walk the beach, go to Dodgertown for spring training viewing and usually hit Disney World for a day. The air always seemed so balmy and I loved the sound of breezes rustling the palm fronds. I still do. Later, when I had a little more money in my pocket, I rented a condo on Sanibel for many years and my folks or other family would join us there. I never thought I would live in Florida. I think I probably scoffed at the idea of living where all the old people are. But here I am, and the Keys are like no Florida I have ever visited. When I went to Heinen's grocery store in Pepper Pike, Ohio, I never saw a man with a beard dressed as a woman. I don't mean transvestite. I mean, just wearing a dress.

Just last week we had numerous memorable incidents at the motel that remind me just how nutty people can be. One couple, who looked as average as can be, got drunk, arrested and booted out of a restaurant for disorderly conduct. Then, they returned to their room at the motel and proceeded to have a domestic quarrel that included breaking a car window (Elin and Tiger?) and getting booted after we called the police. Last week one of guests took his bathing suit off outside before going in his room. Hey, why not? And I cannot forget our frequent guest from South Beach who adores our place, and us, but got a little too happy having brunch at a nearby restaurant/bar this weekend and almost missed her shuttle ride back causing me a lot of anxiety and phone calling. That didn't really cause all that big of a stir, but her bending over to pet my dog did because she apparently doesn't wear undies. Well, at least in the Keys she doesn't. Oops. Rule #1, do not wear a short dress if you forgot your panties.

You Cannot Make a Silk Purse Out of....

Between a wonderful fishing vacation and a quick, super fun trip to Las Vegas to celebrate our 25th anniversary, I had a little accident. Well, not really so little since the repairs are over $9000 and include the whole left side of my beloved car (who cries when they see their car being towed away)? But, I was not hurt other than psychologically and that is the real good news since I was pushed forward right past a telephone pole. And, the car is repairable which I opted for because when I went to look at a replacement it was going to cost the same as a house in a short sale and had so many new bells and whistles I actually got depressed thinking about adjusting to something so complicated. It actually would back itself into a parking space - honest to goodness - Sam tried it.

The accident itself has created a bigger problem than just getting a rental and waiting for the repairs. I was cited for turning left from a right hand lane. The State Highway patrol officer determined this by the skid marks of the truck. According to a witness who turned around, came back to the scene and gave me his contact info but could not stay because he had to get to work - I was absolutely innocent, in the left lane with my blinker on and in front of him. I did not have the witness's backup information until later in the day when Harry went to visit him after waiting around for the police officer to do his job - which he never did.

A flat bed truck towing a trailer with a forklift on it (and no trailer brakes we later discovered), was tailgating the witness (or "up his ass" as he so indelicately proclaimed) and the witness was driving behind me. When the witness moved to the right hand lane to get out of the way of the truck, apparently Mr. Truck could not stop as I slowed to make my turn and opted to go off road to my left in order to avoid rear-ending me. All I could and can recall from the accident is that I was planning to turn left at an upcoming intersection and I suddenly heard a truck horn and then my car was scraped and pushed forward. When I stopped moving, the truck barrelled past me and I did not think he was going to be able to stop before hitting a building. His trailer scraped the telephone pole (and it has to be replaced) which slowed him down. When you have an accident that is unexpected (you do not see it coming) it is really surreal and very disorienting. I kept saying to the Patrolman "I do not understand what happened." And, I really didn't until the witness drew a diagram and explained it.

But, the patrolman did not go see the witness until Harry called his superior later in the day. The following day I still had not heard anything so we called the witness who told us he had been visited, no worries, the ticket was going to be dropped. Elation! Then, another phone call a short time later from the witness telling me that the supervisor re-visited the witness, said they would not drop the ticket, they would make a fool of the witness on the stand, and did he still want to testify. He said he told them "see you in court" and told me not to worry, he would be there. The witness was mad! I feel badly, that this kind good Samaritan goes out of his way to do the right thing and ends up being harassed! I cannot send him anything or even thank him properly until this is over but I hope he senses how grateful I am by what I said to him on the phone after our first conversation.

So, here is the dilemma. I can pay the fine and have my insurance go up and have this over with. I can go to driving school, no ticket fine and have my insurance go up. Or, I can plead not guilty (which I did), get a hearing, hire an attorney for over $900 and hopefully get the charges dropped before going to court (which would cost even more money in legal fees) and NOT have my insurance go up. Great choices. All costing me money because Patrolman R. Rodriguez would not do his job and interview a witness before writing a ticket nor would he change an existing ticket (apparently that never happens I later learned from the attorney).

I can understand why Egyptians are protesting. What else can you do when you do not have the money or the power to fight a corrupt system. My accident is a very minor incident in the larger spectrum of world issues, but it is also indicative of the sense of hopelessness that we feel when we are subjected to authority and have no voice. I trusted a patrolman to do a job as he promised so that I would get a fair judgement. Just like my earlier blog about the TSA, it is important to stand up for ourselves and then try to right injustices. It is the only way to help prevent it from happening to someone else.