This past weekend were the power boat races here in Key West. It's a great event held every year and brings a lot of business and people to the island from all over the world. Usually, we watch the race from the local state park and havea great view of the boat coming down the final stretch. It's everything you could want: loud engines, hish speeds and some flashy paint jobs.
This year, a friend of ours invited us out on his boat. It was a dream come true. Every year I sit on the rocks overlooking the coarse looking at the boats on the water salivating at how great it must be to see the races from out there. This year it came true. It was "I wish that was me" moments come true. I LOVED IT!!!!
While we were out there on the water, I started thinking about all the reasons I love Key West and what brought me here in the first place.
My first memory of Key West was from when I was a child of only 11 or 12. My dad brought us to Florida on family vacation and it was one of those trips that lasted forever. We came down the west coast thru Alligator alley, into Miami and down the keys. I remember looking out the windows of the van (one of the old old vans that my dad had spent a summer installing a bed, chairs, carpet, curtains, etc....one of those big, huge box vans) just watching the water and how the sun glinted off it. I almost got a little sick when we hit the seven mile bridge. (this is a true story). Dad looked back and told us all (my brother, sister and I) to sit down and be still. We didn't understand why. So, we didn't and he yelled louder and we did. We understood after looking out the window and looking straight down. We thought we would see road, but we say water. Yes, one little miscalculation and that big, wide, huge brown van we be over the side of the bridge or in oncoming traffic. You see, this was before the new 7 mile bridge. We were on that old, narrow two lane bridge that they blow up in movies nowadays. It was scarey back then.
We reached our destination of Cudjoe Key where we were stayin in one of my dad's friends house right on the water. I spent every moment of the day by the water and at night laying on my back looking at the stars. They were so bright here and so many. Never saw that back home in Kentucky. It was amazing.
One day, we loaded in the van and headed further South. Key West was in our sights. We had to get the van checked out before heading back to Kentucky. We pulled into Sears, dropped off the van and went to a movie. Now you say that's no big deal. I say, back then, the Searstown shopping center was just the Sears building. And the movie theatre was not where it is now. None of the hotels coming down Roosevelt were there. No McDonalds, no gas stations, nothing. It was just trees and sand with a few houses. But still, something called to me. I fell in love. Even as a kid, I knew that one day I would live in Key West.
I didn't get back down here until 1992, almost twenty years later. I was in Miami going to college and started making regular trips down for Fantasy Fest with my fraternity brothers. Now I was loving Key West for more than just the tropical island paradise that it was. I could enjoy the other side. The one Hemingway wrote about. The one Presidet Truman fell in love with. Once again the spark that ignited in me started to flutter alive and I gained a renewed interest in Key West.
Over the next 13 year I would make at least two or three trips down a year. Becoming very familiar with the area and people. Learning the in's and out's and still yearning for a taste of the island life. One day, I'm at work and my boss approaches me and asks, "How would you like to be the manager at the Key West Outback?". I'm stunned. You mean, I actually get to get paid for living in paradise? Sure. Now, I'm not stupid. I've been to and worked in the Outback there many times. I know the proprietor and some of the staff and I understand that it is not an easy store to work in. But I had to give it a try. For years, I had been turning them down about taking a management position. It seemed like the time was right. So off I went.
Gotta say, it wasn't the best decision of my life. But, the things I've been given since moving here are things I would never give back. My first year on the island was rough to say the least. I fell into the trap. Didn't handle my night life with my daytime job very well. The lines got skewed and I hated my job. Luckily, I only signed on for a year and promptly gave my notice when the time was right. Also lucky that I had made them put in the stipulation that if I didn't like the management position after the year, that I could step down back into the bartender/server/trainer position or relocate to an Outback of my choice. Well, I wanted to stay in Key West of course since by this time I had met the man of my dreams and had started, for the first time in my life, on a healthy and unselfish road full of true friends and a life based in honesty.
With the upcoming move near at hand, I believe a little look back is needed. Not only does it tell us where we are from, but where we are and where we are going. Every step is a new adventure and happiness has finally taken the lead. I will not forget the times I've here on the island. I've met a lot of interesting people and made some life long friends. I'll have my fond memories of walking Duval Street and standing on White Street pier looking at the stars. Endless nights of listening to scooters zoom by the house with my view of the graveyard and wishes of killing every rooster on the island. I will miss the crazy people, Camilles' breakfast and live music at the Parrot. I will live in Orlando, or wherever the day may take me, but my heart will be in Key West.... longing for another day in paradise.
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