Key West Lou / FINALLY…..A FUN NIGHT

I went 412 days in self-quarantine. Six weeks since. I have found it hard to go out. Interesting, since I was out almost every night before the self-quarantine.

My desires had changed. Watching a movie on TV became better than out on the town. I have only gone out about 6 times in the past 6 weeks.

Neither good nor healthy. Finally broke the glass ceiling last night.

Fran and Tom Dixon are in town. Buffalo residents. They visit about 4 times a year. Always stay at Ocean Key House. Tom owns a small piece of it.

The three of us have been friends more than 15 years. Good people, fun people.

We met at the Chart Room last night. By design. The first time we have been out together since before coronavirus. Game plan was the Chart Room and dinner afterwards.

It was yesterday! We sat and laughed for about 2 hours at the bar. I was with people I knew and liked!

They drank. I did not.

Time to eat arrived. We decided the Pier House. Tom went back to get a table. Returned and shocked me.

It was 7. Hostess told him no tables available till 9:30.

Tom walked across the street to Hot Tin Roof. He is obviously well known there. Ocean Keys’ gourmet restaurant. No table even for him. No table for anyone. They were taking no more reservations. Booked solid for the rest of the evening.

No problem. We laughed and enjoyed ourselves for another hour at the Chart Room. In the meantime, Tom made a reservation for sunday night at Hot Tin Roof.

On the way home, my stomach was churning. Stopped at 5 Guys for a cheeseburger. About 1 1/2 years since I had been in. The place was packed. A lot of families. I enjoyed my greasy cheeseburger and fries. Then home.

An observation. Last night was like season. Key West packed. Difficult to find a place to eat. The Chart Room wall to wall.

Why? The Dixons and I discussed the situation.

Two reasons.

The first is people have accumulated a few dollars staying in during the pandemic. They have not gone out. Europe difficult because of the virus. So they opt for Key West. The busiest vacation spot in the U.S. at the moment.

The second reason involves how expensive Key West has become. A national travel magazine mentioned two weeks ago that Key West was the most expensive place to vacation in the U.S.

People who have accumulated a few bucks want to tell their friends back home they spent a week in Key West. Then back it up with what their hotel room cost. Last night one of the leading Key West hotels’ cheapest room was $1,000. Most expensive, $2,500. Eighty seven percent occupied.

I kid you not.

Visitors have to be crazy to spend that kind of money for a room.

Restaurants the same way. Prices astronomical!

Note that Key West is into its slow season. Not this year!

The Surfside condo collapse last thursday scary. How does something like this happen in this day and age? The building  coming down reminded me of Twin Towers on 9/11.

So far 4 persons discovered dead. None alive. One hundred fifty nine still not found. Dead or alive!

An engineer said he reported in 2018 that there was a “major error” which dated back to the building’s origin. He said a lack of proper drainage on the pool deck had caused “major structural damage.” He thought that might be the reason the building fell.

Other engineers are guessing at the moment the concrete or metal piping inside the concrete had eroded and failed. I am confident that at some point the precise reason will be determined.

Rescue workers from around the world have arrived to assist. Dogs trained to sniff live humans walking about.

The pictures on TV show massive pieces of concrete that had fallen. How could anyone survive the falling concrete?

I am hopeful there will be survivors. Air pockets and small spaces are beneath the fallen slabs of concrete.

Another reason as to cause has entered my mind. Was the fall the result of a human act? Don’t laugh. Who ever thought 2 planes could be flown into the buildings on 9/11 and they would collapse?

If something can happen, it will happen.

Biden’s press appearance with several Republican Senators the other day on the White House driveway may not have been as intended. Biden the only one smiling. Everyone else poker faced. Even Joe Manchin.

Biden saying we have bipartisanship. No one else seeming to agree. None saying they agreed or denied it. No one smiling, other than Biden.

It is still a long road to getting an infrastructure bill to which everyone can agree.

Enjoy your day!

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