Loyal
readers know that I live in the Casa Marina Area of Key West which is
normally a really quiet place to live in just about the best place in
the world on most days. I live on a big corner lot and have lots of
tropical foliage that insulates my house from the two intersecting
streets. A big privacy fence actually keeps the outsiders out but the
bushes soften the affect. I have one of the tallest date palms on the
island and several very tall palms that give my yard quite the island
feel.
On Wednesday morning I went to the gym (Island
Gym on Whitehead Street) at 6:00 AM and did an hour's worth of easy
exercises. It was my rest day. When I got home a few minutes after 7:00
I decided to do some work in the yard rather than get ready to go to my
office. So I changed into some grubby shorts and took a rake to attack
the scrub under the foliage out on the right of way.
As
I worked my way to the corner I noticed the glare of fuchsia and
sparkles. The color and radiance merged into an image of a substantial
high heel shoe with glitter galore. Then I noticed a small multi colored
clutch or purse. I chuckled with delight. I pulled the shoe and purse
out from under the bush. I searched for a second shoe but found none. I
decided to grab a camera to record my find for posterity.
A
neighbor walked by (actually, I think he came out of his house after he
heard me laughing so loudly). I showed him my bounty. I laughed and
told him that I had found the shoe and purse of a one legged drag queen
and then said it's stuff like this that makes life in Key West so damned
interesting.
I think it was around Christmas in 1998
when I was baby sitting another neighbor's tiny Yorkshire Terrier.
Munchie was yapping at something on the outside of my yard. It was
early morning. I went out and looked behind the bushes and found a man
hiding in the bushes. He had apparently spent the night there. I asked
him to come out and move along. He obliged and said some that he was
sorry. I could tell from the tone he truly was apologetic. A couple of
hours later I had to leave the house. When I opened my gate I found a
very large hand made pottery bowl filled with coins - lots and lots and
lots of them. This was no little collection of pennies. Most of the
coins were silver with some pennys and nickles thrown in.. I called the
police and asked if anyone had reported a missing bowl of money. The
cop said no. I asked what should I do with it. He said "Keep it". I
then decided that the man in the bushes had given me the bowl as some
token of appreciation or maybe to seek forgiveness for the use of my
bushes. The gesture made me feel like an ogre. Some Christian I was -
at Christmas.
If you see a one legged shoeless drag
queen hobbling down a street in Key West please feel free to tell her to
contact me. I still have her shoe and all of the make-up in her purse. I
kept the bowl and still have it.
