Riepe's World

There is a school of thought that suggests that Key West is and should be the party capital (capitol is the building where Government meets) of the Northern Hemisphere. My own approach to the Southernmost City is rather more pragmatic: it is my home, it is where I work and play, while my idea of playing is to take a motorcycle ride or go to a movie. Scenes like this shown below are somewhat wasted on me, not because youthful beauty shouldn't be appreciated, but because in context it isn't just an appreciation of beauty, it is desire to possess the beauty that animates the appreciation . And I think the desire of a middle aged married man to mate with a college student is laughable and should be the object of, if not derision, then at least an appreciation of man's eternal lack of self awareness. And when I say man I mean "Men's." While I am not up to the task of begininning to conceive of the notion that the water nymphetg might like to sport with me on a beach of a summer's afternoon there is a man known only vaguely to me is who is up the task of appreciating the delicate little finger on the lips of the contemplative one shown here:Key West is littered with water nymphs like this one at all times of the year. Yesterday I saw a quartet of young women in bikinis and bare feet rounding up their rental scooters, rather inexpertly, and trying to take off up Eaton Street. God bless'em say I, they mean job security for the emergency services. Key West attracts all sorts and if you are homeless or unemployed you too can sit under a coconut tree and have your fill of water nymphs ignoring you.
Or you can be gainfully employed and prefer to listen to television in the comfort of your office while you wait for customers to materialize. I expect that staring at beautiful people wears anyone out eventually:Boating is always a good choice for whiling away a hit summer's afternoon:
Or you can go for a walk in the sand. Note the physique of the man she has chosen to accompany her. I'm sure she had other offers.

And for ten bucks you can lounge in the shade and live out your fantasy life in Key West:

Okay, now let's explore the truth of the matter. Sex sells, gross but true (ask riepe if you see him he is on advertising). Money talks, equally gross, and all advertising without exception sells one or other of the above in a welter of false claims.

The vacationers are here for a week, escaping the daily drudge Up North. The residents are working three jobs and not making a dime in September (unless they work for the hated Gummint, as do I, thank God), and if you are thinking about moving to Key West to make a life for yourself, I refer you to the first ever essay I wrote for an experimental blog I started, called back then, Key West Vespa. Which when I sold the unreliable Vespa that adorns the banner photo on this page, I had to re-name.

Jack, I hope these few photos titillate you sufficiently to remind you that you need a good health care plan to stay alive and see how the nymphs of the 21st century grow and develop and make their way on the world's stage.