I wonder how much I would pay were I to lose Cheyenne? Of all the scenarios simply losing a dog would be quite terrible. In fact when my wife and I were cruising Central America my worst fear was losing a dog overboard or ashore and freaking out wondering what had happened.
The one time one of our dogs did fall overboard we were at anchor in a deserted cove in Costa Rica and Debs was sitting on the beach soaking wet when we woke up to find him off the boat. He was a husky who hated to swim, and he was watching the boat waiting for us to wake up and take him home. Which we promptly did and made an appalling fuss of him. Another time Emma our yellow Lab got fed up walking the baking hot streets of La Union in El Salvador and stepped onto a bus without our noticing. We retraced our steps at a run and there she was sitting next to the driver waiting for a lift. We hailed a cab and rode back to our dinghy in style; she had made her point.
I don't miss living at anchor though sometimes I miss being away from civilization away from deadlines and obligations. But then I wouldn't get to walk my dog at the Bat Tower on Sugarloaf.
And I wouldn't get to drift past the Salvation Army store on Flagler Avenue and ponder the ease of a life spent chatting on a sidewalk. I am not a man much capable of small talk. the weather bores me after a while, sports mean nothing to me, and where-are-you-from seems invasive. I'd rather have a drop down drag out debate about politics or religion but that just offends people raised in the milquetoast tradition of not causing offense. So I wonder how people sit around and talk about nothing all day.
And they watch the world go by. Sometimes they have an interesting collection of CDs at the Sally Army. The city commission has managed to avoid taking action ion several issues of great moment. Previously I mentioned the parking changes recommended by the expert the city commission hired to organize parking, whose recommendations they subsequently ignored. The business of city employees using blowers was debated momentarily, in the paper and out and then the matter was hastily dropped.
The plan was to test the possibility of banning city employees from using leaf blowers but the thin end of the wedge was quoted and a Bilderberg plan to outlaw all such machines was envisioned. It's hard to imagine a town that can't get whole heartedly behind recycling summoning the nerve to ban dust blowers outright but the fear was raised. Key West as Aspen seems an unlikely future. I watched from outside city limits and listened to the storm burbling in the tea cup. Key West: city of a 23,000 inhabitants and a million angry opinions. About everything which makes it even more puzzling to consider how much pointless weather related small talk goes on on the sidewalks.
The one time one of our dogs did fall overboard we were at anchor in a deserted cove in Costa Rica and Debs was sitting on the beach soaking wet when we woke up to find him off the boat. He was a husky who hated to swim, and he was watching the boat waiting for us to wake up and take him home. Which we promptly did and made an appalling fuss of him. Another time Emma our yellow Lab got fed up walking the baking hot streets of La Union in El Salvador and stepped onto a bus without our noticing. We retraced our steps at a run and there she was sitting next to the driver waiting for a lift. We hailed a cab and rode back to our dinghy in style; she had made her point.I don't miss living at anchor though sometimes I miss being away from civilization away from deadlines and obligations. But then I wouldn't get to walk my dog at the Bat Tower on Sugarloaf.And I wouldn't get to drift past the Salvation Army store on Flagler Avenue and ponder the ease of a life spent chatting on a sidewalk. I am not a man much capable of small talk. the weather bores me after a while, sports mean nothing to me, and where-are-you-from seems invasive. I'd rather have a drop down drag out debate about politics or religion but that just offends people raised in the milquetoast tradition of not causing offense. So I wonder how people sit around and talk about nothing all day.
And they watch the world go by. Sometimes they have an interesting collection of CDs at the Sally Army. The city commission has managed to avoid taking action ion several issues of great moment. Previously I mentioned the parking changes recommended by the expert the city commission hired to organize parking, whose recommendations they subsequently ignored. The business of city employees using blowers was debated momentarily, in the paper and out and then the matter was hastily dropped.The plan was to test the possibility of banning city employees from using leaf blowers but the thin end of the wedge was quoted and a Bilderberg plan to outlaw all such machines was envisioned. It's hard to imagine a town that can't get whole heartedly behind recycling summoning the nerve to ban dust blowers outright but the fear was raised. Key West as Aspen seems an unlikely future. I watched from outside city limits and listened to the storm burbling in the tea cup. Key West: city of a 23,000 inhabitants and a million angry opinions. About everything which makes it even more puzzling to consider how much pointless weather related small talk goes on on the sidewalks.
Give them credit for not tossing them in the mangroves or in the water but... Is it time to create some sort of redemption value for empty bottles and cans?
I feel bad for all the trapped dogs we pass, bored out of their skulls behind their fences yapping at the happy Labrador who gets to smell the smells that they can never get to. 
Then we discussed Gay Pride week, one of the first of a whole summer series of gatherings and events to keep the tourists coming. Sue showed us some of her creations made from something called sea stone which she drills and decorates herself. Of course my wife knew exactly what I was talking about so I think it must be a woman shopper thing. I think she will like the ear rings.
It seems Cleopatra passed through and misplaced one of her more florid necklaces in the store. Sue says it will definitely appeal to the more extroverted among us. As she isn't one of those she chose not to exhibit herself with this loud piece of work.
A graduation gift, possibly. anyway Gary and I stood around for a while longer and when some customers sidled past us looking anxious we figured we had done enough damage for one day and moved on, despite Cheyenne's passionate desire to lurk on the cool tile floor a while longer. And that is how one is supposed to amble round key West, dropping in and dropping out leaving unfinished conversations behind as one goes.
When I started this blog four years ago this week as it happens, I planned to keep myself out of it pretty much and just take pictures of where I lived. I have kept into the pictures from time to time over the years and Gary had been keeping an eagle eye out for me so he knew who I was when I stumbled in, even though I was wearing Birkenstocks and not my tattered pink Crocs. I need a new pair from the store called Neat Stuff on Flagler, as far as I know the only supplier around here of Size 12 pink Crocs.
Anyway I made it to Pepe's on time and we sized each other up. Gary has a daughter going to college soon and a dog that isn't. We talked dogs as I have no idea what daughters involve.
Marcie was our cheerful server and I managed to engage her in modest conversation without bursting a blood vessel so that was good. I always feel as though chatting up the servers is an imposition as they have a hard enough job as it is without having to pander to the customer's need for conversation. Apparently I am all wet about this and I need to change my attitude.
It was a horribly self indulgent lunch. I had an Anchor Steam for an appetizer, I love that beer from San Francisco where, when I drove a truck I used to deliver to their family owned brewery right in the city on Third Street as I recall.
For the main course Gary had the fish sandwich on the grounds they don't have decent fish in Tennessee which I suppose could be true but the woods up there are very pretty as I recall. As I don't live in a land locked state I had the guacamole burger which to my surprise and delight came with a healthy dollop of chili. Marcie returned with the second Anchor Steam to wash down the meat and I was happy.
She smiled a lot. The mainstay of a decent meal is conversation so Gary and I engaged in that. We set straight the confusion of modern health care coverage because he is an anaesthesiologist by trade. He also kayaks like a demented fiend and was planning a marathon paddle through the back country which made me feel faint just talking about it. The Anchor Steam was an excellent antidote. Then we had pudding and i should note that Gary was the one who insisted we share a Key Lime Pie.
I thought it was quite good. It's not as tart as the home made one at Parrotdise on Little Torch key but the crust was crumbly and I liked scooping it up with the molten remains of the whipped cream. We sat back and burped.
Well, actually we were rather more polite than that, though in retrospect it would have been manly to sit around and eructate. 
Gary has promised to meet me again for a late breakfast and he has also promised to drop off some key West pictures I shall use in July. He has plans to go kayaking off Big Pine as well so perhaps he can kayak round to my house so I can watch him sweat horribly as he begs for a glass of water. Pictures to follow. 
I checked the website 
Cheyenne liked the cool of the cement in the parking garage after stumping the hot streets.
This is one of those services you don't really think about but when you see it, it makes perfect sense. 