Saturday, February 11, 2012
Dearest Dee, my honey-bunny, I will soon take a trip with my memories of you. We will go south on Interstate 75 to Naples and just before we get to the toll plaza for Alligator Alley, we will turn southwards towards Marco Island. We will turn left on the Tamiami Trail and take a side trip to Everglades City and Chokoloskee, where we will visit the Old General Store and recall old tales told by Totch Brown. We will return to the Tamiami Trail and continue on to Big Cypress National Preserve where will take an airboat ride in the Everglades. We will continue to the Miccosukee Indian Casino at U.S. 27 and drop some quarters in the slot machines. Afterwards, we will head south on Krome Avenue and go past the Krome Avenue Detention Center where so many Cuban refugees have been held. We will see the tomato fields near Homestead. We will take Card Sound Road instead of U.S. 1 and will stop for a snack at Alabama Jack’s. Then we will pay the toll and cross Card Sound Bridge. At the T-bone intersection, we will turn right towards Rock Harbor and Key Largo. We will visit the African Queen at the Holiday Inn and recall Bogey & Hepburn. We will take a 4:00 PM tour on the Glass Bottom Boat the “Key Largo Princessâ€. We will reluctantly continue just down the road to have supper at Mrs. Mac’s Kitchen. We will watch for the sign for Robbie’s at Islamorada where we will stop and feed the tarpon. We will head on into Marathon and stay overnight at Coconut Cay Resort, where we will pretend that we don’t know any better than to park under a coconut tree. We will enjoy the motel’s kayaks and pool. In the morning, we will buy some hotdogs and stuff to have a cook-out with, go to the Seven Mile Bridge and take the tour of Pigeon Key. There we will recall the movie “True Lies†part of which was filmed in this area. We will continue on to Bahia Honda State Park and have our cook-out lunch. Then we will continue on to Big Pine Key and take a side trip up Key Deer Boulevard to see if we can find the Old Gator at Blue Hole and the Key Deer. We will also go down Key deer Boulevard turn right on Wilder, left on Poincianna Rd, right onto Avenue B, and a slight Right onto Watson to No Name Key and have a drink at No Name Bar. We will continue on to Sugarloaf Key and see if the Bat House is still at Sugarloaf Lodge. We will stop at Burger King on Stock Island and remember our dinner at The Rusty Anchor. We will cross the bridge into Key West and turn left to go past House Boat Row. We will go to Ease Martello Museum and West Martello Tower. We will go to Atlantic Shores Motel and swim naked off the clothing optional pier. We will go around Southernmost Point and go into Old Town. We will visit the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum and the Customs House. We will tour Hemmingway House, Audubon House, and the Little White House. We will visit the old Sloppy Joe’s and the new Sloppy Joe’s. We will stay at Cyprus House and we will walk by the Cat House and window shop at International Emeralds. We will ride the Old Town Trolley Tour. We will visit Key West Aquarium. We will stop at Margaretville for a cheeseburger and fries. I will walk though the old cemetery and tell the old ghosts to let you know that I am here. I will meet you in Mallory Square at sundown as you told me in your last words to me. We will spend the night in the parking lot of the old shopping center. We will go to the Court House and be married once again. Is being with you for eternity long enough? I cannot know, but I don’t think it is. With Love, Buddy.
