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.