KEY WEST LOU / MERRY CHRISTMAS

Merry Christmas!

May all of you in one fashion or another feel the spirit of the day.

I want to give something to each of you. It is one of my favorite musical renditions. A song that touches me as I hope will touch you. It is the way the song is offered by the Three Tenors. Especially with their frivolity thrown in. Enjoy!

Christmas Eve dinner last night was with Lisa and family. I was met at the door by Ally and Robert. Huge hugs and kisses. Love these two!

Exchanged greetings with Jake next. He insists on being acknowledged. Then Corey, Corey’s parents and Lisa. A little while later Myra and Cameron arrived.

The dinner was excellent. Unfortunately, I shall never have one consisting of the seven fishes again. Nevertheless, the fishes provided were prepared well. Lisa’s culinary talents were best exhibited in the salmon as prepared by her. Absolutely delicious! I enjoyed two servings.

Lisa’s Italian Christmas cookies were the best she has ever prepared. I went for two helpings of each also. Over did it, but I had no choice. My desire for them overwhelmed me.

We chatted away as families do at such gatherings during and after dinner. I left at 9. My bed time. The others were still going strong. Normally, I automatically wake at midnight to watch Midnight Mass from St. Peter’s. Missed it last night for the first time in years. Woke at 2:30.

An update re Ally and Robert. They have received their grades for the past semester.

Ally got 2 As and 2 Bs. She admits with a little extra effort, the 2 Bs could have been As. I suspect she will do better this coming semester.

Robert fell from last year’s performance. He had 1 A and 4 B’s. Did not compare with the onslaught of As he received last year. Nevertheless, he advised his overall index is 3.65. He is aware of the reason for the Bs instead of As. The writing and work he is doing for Nole Gamesday. He gave too much to the Nole operation at the expense of his studies. He plans on balancing it out next semester. He will. He has a good head on his shoulders.

Both are responsible for their room and board and pocket money while at school. They are very conscious of this responsibility. Both had contacted their previous Key West employers and within two hours of returning last week were at work. Robert waits tables at the restaurant next to the Green Parrot. Great cash flow. He is earning in excess of $200 a night. He needs $2,200 to cover everything for the next semester and believes he will easily reach that goal working before he returns to school in mid January.

Ally is more conservative in her spending. Her concern is the $84 dollars she still needs to cover her rent.

Cameron is 28. He has a Bachelor and Masters degree from FSU. He is working for the State Department in Washington on an annual study involving sex trafficking worldwide. A mandated study by Congress that the State Department does each year. Loves Washington. Hopes to get into environmental work. He and I discussed it a bit.

My intent was to avoid politics on this holiest of days. However, I cannot. Something struck me yesterday I feel compelled to share.

There was a photo in yesterday’s New York Times of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and his former clerks. Some 60-70 of them. Not one was black.

Strange. On the other hand, perhaps not.

Thomas is in a position to do great things for anyone who clerks for him. Former Supreme Court clerks go on to great positions with universities, law firms and the highest rungs of government. He has in his 25 years plus as a Supreme Court Justice had the power to make his clerks achieve great positions and futures having worked for him. Why do no blacks appear in the photo? Am I to assume he has never extended a helping hand to members of his own race? He should have been bending over backwards to help them. Speaks to the very essence of the man. He is totally off base in every regard.

Enjoy Christmas Day!

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