20080222 “Those crazy Keys” by Blair Lee Gazette

Those crazy Keys by Blair Lee Gazette

I always enjoy Blair Lee’s approach to commentary, however, after having only recently returned from a week in Key West myself, I thoroughly enjoyed Mr. Lee’s take on “Those crazy Keys.”

Read on and enjoy:

Those crazy Keys

My Maryland | Blair Lee Friday, Feb. 22, 2008

Life begins when the kids leave home and the dog dies. Or, in my case, when my wife and I leave the dog with the kids and spend a few mid-winter weeks in the Florida Keys.

Here’s the best way to describe the Keys to Marylanders: Make the Delmarva barrier islands from Rehoboth to Cape Charles into a single county (Monroe) connected by a single highway (Route 1) with Ocean City (Key West) at the southernmost tip. Then relocate it to the Caribbean with an offshore coral reef making it a fishing paradise. Or as a local sports columnist writes, ‘‘The fish come to the Keys for the same reason the tourists do: food, sex and comfort.” And, of course, drinking.

Fishing, drinking and sun worshiping are the chief local pastimes. There are more marinas than car dealerships and more bait and tackle shops than 7-Elevens. The local paper has a daily ‘‘catch of the day” photo and the Walgreens sells frozen chum (bait) and hard liquor.

During the winter months, the Keys are the warmest spot in continental America. Local high school baseball, softball and tennis are already under way and we needed car and motel a⁄c most days.

[…]

But in most respects the Keys are more casual, friendly, ramshackle and eccentric than ‘‘back home.” Where else can you find a ‘‘Jack Nicklaus-designed putting green?” And crime in the Keys is more likely to be lobster trap-raiding than carjacking.

There’s always something weird going on… […]

But the weirdest things in the Keys are the people. For instance, November’s Monroe County elections include a sheriff’s candidate running on a ‘‘legalize pot” platform and a commissioner candidate who says he gets daily instructions from angels while he sleeps. Then there’s Susan Stanton seeking a city manager job she⁄he formally held as Steve Stanton.

Read his entire column here: Those crazy Keys

For more posts on Soundtrack about Key West go here:

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20070810 what does YOUR fridge say about YOU?

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