KEY WEST LOU / MARTY LESHAW DIED

KEY WEST LOU / MARTY LESHAW DIED

I received a telephone call from Jean Thornton last night. She called to tell me Marty Leshaw had died.

Very sad news.

Jean and I had been very tight friends with Marty for years. Part of the Chart Room crowd during our time. Included Che Cohen, English Peter Bamberger, Sheila Cullens, David Hecht, Valerie Chelley, and Steve and Cindy Thompson. Several others whose names now escape me. For years, we met every evening at the Chart Room. Between 5 and 6. Some evenings to be spent at the Chart Room till late. Others a few drinks and then some of us would wander off to have dinner somewhere.

I dined most evenings with Marty. It was rare when we did not. Our favorite haunts were La Trattoria, Antonia’s, Hot Tin Roof, Pier House, and La Te Da. Some evenings Jean and/or Che would join us.

My time with Marty began many many years ago. Before Trump was even a popular political figure. Marty was an arch conservative. He would have been a Trump supporter these days.

I learned early on to avoid political discussions with him. He was one tough guy to have a political discussion with. He and Che used to have frequent political arguments at the Chart Room Bar itself. Two hard asses going at it.

Marty made his living as a court stenographer. Began his career in January 1963. His primary residence was a lovely spacious home in Fort Lauderdale on the intercoastal. He ran a steno business in the Fort Lauderdale and Miami areas as well as in Key West. The entire time I knew him, he maintained a second residence in Key West. It seemed like he was in Key West more than his northern quarters.

His last Key West residence was upstairs above the Woman’s Club on Duval Street.

He was married to Donna. He lucked out and found a lovely French woman to be his bride. The two were blessed with many children and grandchildren. Marty was proud of them all.

Marty left Key West many years ago. Gave up his residence here. I only would see him when he came down to do an occasional stenographic job.

Our relationship died a slow death. I suspect it was my fault. Marty invited me many times to visit he and his wife in Fort Lauderdale and at his home on stilts somewhere on a sand bar in the Atlantic Ocean. For no reason at all, I neve made the trip. I suspect Maty became insulted and stopped even telephoning after a while.

Two weeks ago, I received a telephone call from Marty. I had neither seen nor heard from him in more than 10 years. I thought he was calling to ask about my health. My recent heart surgeries I had reported on in my blog. Not the case. In fact, he did not know I had the surgeries and told me he stopped reading my blog years ago.

Why then the call? He had no reason. Just made the call. We chatted for an hour. About the old days and the Chart Room. Told me he had sold the big house on the intercoastal and he and the wife had moved into smaller quarters. No new invitation to visit was made.

After Jean called last night, I wondered if Marty knew he was dying and called for that reason. I may never know. He was a good guy. The type hard to replace. If the Lord is a liberal, Marty is going to have a hard time bargaining his way into Heaven. He’ll make it though. God knows good people when he sees them. Marty was a good person.

I wish I had visited him.

Enjoy your day!

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