The highest H point in Key West FREE .4 I I TOO WAD DELL (AT VERNON} RENTALS • LESSONS AVAILABLE q Velux "Roof Windows Velux — The roof-mounted window which provides ventilation and constant light — installs leakfree and blends aesthetically with either traditional or contem- porary architecture. Priced from 5 210. Available in nine sizes and with various accessories, throughout Monroe County, from: CHRIS ELMORE 294-2014 GERMAN STYLED BREAD, ROLLS, PASTRIES, CAKES Searstown 294-2450 FROM Ths ECHTOR HELLO - - WZ'KZ 56 pagzA thlA IAAUZ -- that'A QUA. blggeAt I HEV, REMEMBER the. mafiathon that waA Hun lait ijza.fi? The SouthzKnmoAt Road Hun.ne.fti Club li AponAoKlng the. 2nd Annual La.it ReioKt Maiathon on Sunday, Fe.biua.iiy 77. HonlzA KalAzd by thli zvznt uilll go to be.ne.ilt the. TloKlda Ke.yi UaKlnz In- stitute, and the. AKmzd VoKceA VUCA. Ton inioKmatlon contact Ned Gua.H-de.nle.il at 4-6911. MERLIN CURRV'S.£ong awaited Ba/i-8- Qiie place hai opened at the cofinzn. oi Thomai and Angela StKeetA. MzKlln, a long-time political actlvlAt In Kzy We.it, KztuKntd hzKz aitzK living AzveKal yza.Ki In anotheK Atatz. 1 SPOKE WITH John BKock, AznloK plannzK with the. itatz'A Bu.ie.au o£ land and Ii3ate.it Management In TallahaiAzz, about the Kzy Wzit CompKzhenAlve Land UAZ Plan and the Kzy WeAt CompKzhzmlvz Land UAZ Plan and Map. He Aald that fie ie.lt that the city voaA moving ahzad In thz flight dltectlon and that agKzzmznti aKKlvzd at dufilng the wofikihop mzztlng held he/it In Octobe.fi will hopz&ully fie.- iult In a good plan. Block AtKZAAzd that the Atate wlihe.A to wofik with .the. city 10 0%. Bill Ol&AtKay hai wKltten a Ationg antlcle. about hlA pzKAonal zx.- pzn.le.nceA In the pfie.paiatlon oi thli plan and plan map, and It looki like. Aomz Off thz pzoplz In city aiialKA afiz i t l l l p'uAhlng hzavlly to gzt the Aalt pondA illlzd. In my conve.tiia.tlon with Block, hz'Atatzd that he on a mzmbzfi o'i hli AtaH would come to Key hleit and view at ilKAt hand the afieai, delineated on the map ioK development. I Mould zx.pe.ct that thz Atatz would be on ouK ilde In thli cfiuclal matten. and nzject any at- tzmptA to ifLKeAponAlbly illl OUK Aalt pondi . WELL, THE ELECTION IA OVZK. OUK own. Rlch"afid MaKih made a Atfiong Ahomlrfg In hlA fiacz ion. may OK and pzKhapA could be peiAuaded to tKy again. A lot oi people ane VZKLJ happy that UlchaKd Hzyman won in hlA Kacz. ion. City Comml&Alonefi, and Solares Hil l jolni them. Thz Aamz gozA ion. thz fiziefizndum to impKovz AalafilzA oi thz police and ilfizmzn -- ovzKwhzlmlng- ly thz city voted yzA on thli IAAUZ, and we AixppoKtzd It Atnongly, GARRV BOULARV Ahowzd up with an ati- tlclz on thz deplofiable condltlonA oi two o-i ou.fi local bzacheA -- SmathefiA Beach and South 8eae.fi. UnioKtunatzly, thli afifilved too latz ion lnclu-Aion_ In thli IAAUZ, but maybz by thz Januafiy IA- AUZ thz bzachzi will be pKopzKly elzanzd up. li not, we will go ahzad with outi anticlz. THE WEATHER In Octoben and Uovzmbzfi waA Aome oi the lovzllzAt I KzmzmbeK, .1 Imaglnz that we ane. moving CIOAZH to being a yzafi-Kound KeioKt with each paAA- Ing Fall and Sptilng. I HAP A LETTER ifiom a fizildznt Mho wjai outraged to wltnzAA "the handcuHlng and AubAzquznt taking to jail oi a young man In inont oi Sloppy JOZ'A. HIA cnlme. waA ilnlAhlng a bzefi In thz iamz pK.oce.AA aA leaving [thz bah.) . Thz young man con- cznnzd uiai a tzachzh. inom Mew) JztiAzy • vacationing In Flonlda ion the ThankA- glving bfieak. . . ." A ê we at It again? SuKzly thli IA the yzafi to Ktlax znioKc- ing thz dnlnklng In public law AO Atnlat- ly. SltuatlonA like, tht one that the letteK WKltzK deAcnlbzd aKz juit too hanmlzAA to be tnzatzd AO AZKIOUAILJ -- Izt'A tfiy and IXAZ thli law with moKz dlicefinment. SEE VOU WEXT MONTH. P.S. li you llkzd RlchaKd MaKAh'A ChfilAt- mai poemi , they aKz avallablz on ChKlAt- ma.A caKdi that aKe A old at Candlelight Shop, 216 Uuval; EnvlKonmzntal CIKCUA, 51S Vuval; Guild Hall, 614 Vuval; Thz Bookihop, 5 34 Fleming; RaggA to UlchzA , HaKboK HOUAZ; Plaza CaKd CoKnzK, Key Plaza; and Conn'A CameKa and CaKd CtntzK, SeaKitown. OUK coveK aKtlit thli month IA Lee Uantln. She alAo did thz pzllcan de.llve.K- Ing ChKlitmaA bulbA sthat appzaKi thlA IAAUZ. 5£» uotur Gtrvtr J ; HERE IS $10 .00 FOR SUBSCRIPTION TO 11 ISSUES OF SOLARES HILL. NAME ADDRESS CITY - THHS I* OUR SUMCMPf J- roui MY STATE ""Hi I ZIP Our mailing address: 821 Duval Street, Key West, Florida 330*10 Phone numbers are 29^-1044 & ,29t-2l!00" In Marathon cal l 872-2915 Solares B%ll -us a community newspaper published every month on the slopes of Solares R%llt Key West's highest point, by Solares Hill Company, 821 Duval Street, Key West, Florida 33040. Annual subscription rate (11 issues) is $10.00. . ASSOCIATE K : : : : : : ll%ZcZL RSJi ^ S , K ? : : ; • • • D°ZA "AT EDITORIAL CONSULTANT BILL •WESTRAI ' DOi-tcy™ ..WALIHILH With a little help from our friends . . ^ • m i ^ i i i L L j i m u S o l a r e s H i l l Co . , I n c . © Solares, Hill t 1 A PAHTY BY PHOEBE COAN WHAT MAKES A house a home? Edna Carey, aged 62, and her mother, Hortense Munnings, aged 84, of 720 Thomas Street could tell you. Theirs is a real home. A warm atmosphere where friends, neigh- bors , even tourists like to drop by. Living here for 20 years, they have found nurturing children the best role a per- son can play. The neighborhood itself is friendly, peaceful. No one's afraid to say, "HI!" "Our life here has been just right. A very.quiet, simple life," says Edna. "People like you to.listen to them. If it's not important, then I try to change1 dissatisfaction in my home as a youngster. We were eight children. We had a good relationship, and were always close." Both ladies agree that a good home comes from the peace and kindness of the people living in it. "Try to make things pleasant, be agreeable," thay.say. "You must work together and be patient," is their formula. EDNA IS PART Cuban on her mcther' s side- and part Bahamian on her father's side. Hortense, born in Key West, helped raise her daughter's children: Hortense, 37, Irving, 33, James, 31, and Margaret, From the left: Rev. Carson, Sally Spencer, Herman Burton, Bernice Spencer, Andre Valdez, Mrs. Munnings, Elder Gunn , Hortense Perez (back to camera). the conversation," she says. SHE IS ROBUST, motherly. , She has a sweetness that is essential to her per- sonality. The house is clean, homey, without being fussy. The rooms are bright, functional, comfortable. When Edna's kids now return to visit, all the old friends come over. "We make them welcome," she says. Mrs. Munnings says, "There was no 25. Both ladies are now widows. The husbands of each had been Civil Service workers. Mrs. Carey's first husband, Albert Carey, was a tailor. Her second husband was Irving Carey. Edna worked at the aquarium for about ten years. Says Mrs. Munnings, "My parents never had trouble. They got along good with everyone." Her mother came from Cuba. She was a. happy lady who sang often to her child- your full service pet shop Select a Friend from the large variety of pets of all types WE DO DOG & CAT GROOMING KEY PLAZA 296-6912 PUT THIS ON YOUR WALL Metric System Equivalents Equivalents du Systeme MStrique nada Canada jtfic metrirjue Ceteius Fahrenhsl length M12 Mesure^ it in. pa It-pi yd rm mm cm m km -40 -40 suremenls longueur 2 54 cm 0 30 m 0 9l.m 1 61 km 0 04 in/co 0 39 in/'po 3 28 IVBI 0 62 mi Temperature/Temperature -20 -10 - 4 14 0 10 32 50 Mass Measurement Mesures de Poids l o i l ib Icwt 1 Ion- In 19 l k S Ikg I t 28 35g 0 45 kg^ 45 36 kg 0911 O W C H 2 201b 002 cwl 1 10 lon/m 20 37 58 986 100 200 212 392 Liquid Volume Capacites Liquides ^ 1 n/oi/o 1 pl'choq 1 qt/pte 1 gal Can Iml. 1 litre 1 litre 1 [lire 28 41ml 0 57 lore 1 14l«re 4 55 hires 0 04 H/oz/11 1 76pl.'chop 0 88ql/pie 022QalCan EXPORTA Environmental Circus Winter Hours 10-10 Sundays 12-9 5UDUVAHT»£ET / Iti OEST, FLORIO* BW6 ren. She never returned to Cuba. Her father was a good man, 8 3 when he passed .on. He was a cigar maker, nice but strict, she recalls. He wanted his kids at home and with good 00^7any. Each year he took two of them for a visit to Cuba. Hor- tense wai 18 when she first saw it. THE LADIES MOSTLY enjoy their friends and plants and Saturday dinners after church, after which they usually visit places and people in need. I was quickly invited to an 84th birthday party for Mrs. Munnings and was happy to accept. The party was a howling success, with many local friends, family, and out-of-towners attending. Unfortunately, previous to this birthday, Mrs. Munnings .took a bad fall while hanging fresh cur- tains for the occasion, and badly bruised her ribs. I noticed she was somewhat un- comfortable and slowed down at the begin- ning of the party, but by the end of it she was joking with the young folks and - really having a good time. Hortense cleaned her plate of the good food and said jokingly, "It was a s.in before God," referring to the size of the birthday cake her nephew, James Williams of Ft. Laude'rdale, had handed to her. USUALLY, THE LARGE birthday parties are reserved for the.years when Hortense's brother, Andre Valdez of Philadelphia, comes to visit. (There is also a 90-year- old sister in a Key West nursing home, Gertrude Williams.) Andre, however, is always guest of honor. Now at 80, he is distinguished and bombastic. He predicted an early winter this year due. to the early snowfall... first time in 85 years that it has fallen in October in Phila- delphia. He asked in a booming baritone, "Gentlemen, how do you feel?" (Many el- ders of the Adventist Church and Pastor _' Carson from Zion Church were present.) "Beautiful, beautiful," he answered him- • self. He urged some guests to eat the chicken with their hands. He only com- plained, "Too many women kissing!" The motto of the party and always here seems to be: Make everyone feel comfortable! And we were.. As soon as we arrived there was not one face that didn't smile or say, "Hello." Margaret Carey, one of Edna's chil- dren, called from Gainesville, where she is in her second year of law school. She said that what was most valuable to her while growing up was the openness and sharing in her home. She and her mom are very close, despite their, age difference. She says that.as a child she was encouraged to bring even unpopu- lar children home from school. She says her mother and grandmother are most in - Polynesian Cuisine and Rum Concoctions in a Tropical Island Atmosphere 294-6912 U.S. 1 at Garrison Bight their glory when they can be entertaining. "It's their thing to make everyone wel- come . " Even servicemen were invited at a time when this was not a popular custom in town. Margaret herself says she car- ries on this tradition of making people welcome where she lives. THE GENEROUS ATMOSPHERE at the family party was infused with warmth and love — from the many middle-aged ladies leisur- ing on the porch, flashing dazzling smiles, •to the folks around the main birthday din- ner table inside, to the groups situated at the big table set up prettily in the side yard. The menu was simple American style food: roast beef, turkey, fried chicken, macaroni salad, tossed salad, potato salad, string beans, relishes, punch, and ice cream. There were three differ- ent birthday cakes. The largest one said: "Happy Birthday-Hortense" and.had a but- terfly on it. Someone was always asking: "Did you have plenty to eat?" or "Where's your ice cream?" Many folks complained of full tummies. At the cutting of the cake, a blessing was offered and "Happy Birthday", sung. Mrs. Munnings, in a pretty flowered suit and holding her brother's hand, beamed. She's a very nice looking, dear lady. She received many lovely gifts. AMONG THE GUESTS were Mrs. Munning's nephew and niece from Ft. Lauderdale, James and Sonia Williams. Her great,, great, great, grand nephew, Cartavious White, aged 2%, now of Key West, was also present. Locals partying at the birthday in- cluded Ruth Gunn, Herman Butler, "Bernice" Esther Spencer and her daughter, .Sarah Welch', Nancy Jackson, Lucille Myah (Mrs. Carey's stepdaughter), Mr. and Mrs. Jennison, Viola Manuel, Harry Chipchase, Robert Butler, Sylvia Deane, Aracelia Laurie, Hortense Perez, and Harold Gib- son, all good friends. From Miami came Mrs. Birdivia Ledon, Mary Alice Woodside, Margaret Wiggins, Jersey Trapp, Flower Roberts, and Arudbell Roker, daughter to Mrs. Munnings and a foster mother of two. Linda Johnson from the Bahamas was also present. Says Arudbell, "My mother's the most wonderful mother in the world, and my. sister's a very loving sister." "It is most important to try and be happy; that is best for your health," the ladies agree. "Treat everyone the best that you can, and you'll get treat- ed the same." "We never did think racial differences were a big problem here," says Mrs. Munn- ings. "We always had a lot of white friends." They set a high example of love and peace in their neighborhood. "No contact makes for the hostilities, a lot of them," she agrees. EDNA FINDS THAT as you get older it' s good to try to have a childlike heart. She loves to watch the children, and her laugh is like a bubbling brook. "Being alone is not necessarily bad," says Edna. But she adds that it is her •friends, family, and plants that keep her happy. "I was always interested in my child- ren's school," says Edna. "I supported whatever they would do. I helped them and checked their homework regularly. The teachers knew me!" She adds that children need a lot of praise and encour- agement in order to feel worthy and ca- pable. SAYS MRS. MUNNINGS, "A religious background helps." Edna was valedictorian of her high school graduating class at Douglass in '36. All her children were honor students, Today's children, the ladies feel, are given too many privileges and too much too soon. "It's a question of re- spect," they s-ay. Both agree that with patience and plenty of individual time, -the children will respect you if you re- spect them. Too much discipline makes a real chore of what should be a joy. "Curtail their pleasures," they say. "Let light punishment suffice, and try to reason with them instead of using physical force. Let them know how you feel. Tell them the truth." THEY AGREE THAT children don't feel secure without guidelines and good adult examples before them. .They're not happy with all the freedom in the world. The spoiled child, living a selfish existence, can end up in jail. The loving is most important, but without the limits being set, a child can grow up unruly and un- happy . "Sometimes," they say, "you have to let things slide, and take them as they come. You can become a nervous wreck, if you don't ignore some of it. You gotta hold onto your sense of humor. Remember how cute they are. They're not adults." Both advise avoiding screaming. Kids usually know when they didn't do right. They don't want to hear all that repeti- tive stuff. They just want to run from that. "You have to give them a chance to develop. When they're being rebel- lious, they mostly asking, 'Who am I?1" the ladies say. THEY SAY YOU have to let them know you are interested. "whatever they were ASHORE TMWOR OF Richard Mnrsh A Key West Fantasy/Romance By Richard Marsh Illustrated by Paul Stevens Published in a limited, signed first edition by Mazgeen Press P.O. Box 70 Key West 33040 $2.75 At local bookstores, newsstands, and shgps, or postpaid for S2.75 from the publisher. Florida Keys Hottubs THE REDWOOD HOT TUB Its design is simple and perfect. And whether installed indoors or outside, its waters brino. soothing pleasure the, whole year round. We'd like to tell you about a CHRISTMAS .GIFT that you and your family and friends could still be enjoying 20 years from now REALLY enjoying! ' A THOOGHT FOR NEW YEAR'S EVE Take one Hottub, soothing and relaxing. Add good company, music and refreshment. Mix well. Happy New Year! FLORIDA KEYS HOTTOBS MAKES HOUSE CALLS, Let's talk about th-e CHRISTMAS GIFT you owe yourself Call 2 9 4 - 9 4 4 7 NOW! Never tried a Hottub? You can in privacy Call 294-9447. y' ° Opep 7 am - 1 0 pm New Happy Hour 5 - 6:30 pm ; e Key West's Floating Restaurant SANDWICHES AND FISHERMAN'S BOX LUNCHES FRESH SEAFOOD Specializing in Shrimp & Fish OPEN 7 DAYS 7am to 10pm Serving Lunch and Dinner N. Roosevelt Blvd. At Garrison Bight BAIT BEER AND 9CE 294-8082 «• f BHAGAVAD GITA AS IT IS His Divine Grace A.C.BHAKTIVEDANTA SWAMIPRABHUPADA "When one is enlightened with the knowledge by which nescience is destroyed, then his knowledge reveals everything, as the sun lights up "everything in the daytime." Bliuga rad-gita 5.16 Available from: interested in, I was interested in, so I got a degree in everything," says Edna. "You have to talk to them.. Be nice. Take the time to joke and play with them," the ladies say. "It keeps them out of mischief. They need your attention. They can't help that!" Both ladies agree that touch and cuddling go a long way. "You have to let them know that you care! A lot of mpthers just forget or don't want to take the time. "Sometimes you have to overlook a mess, in order to allow them to learn and grow. This was 'always their house, and we felt their..feelings were more im- portant than the house or the furniture. Put your children first." THEY HAD LET my little son (despite my own flinching) make quite a mess on their nice clean floor. He had pulver- ized a rock in order to create some "magic dust." "Let the baby be a baby/' they said. "People get away from the natural state. You have to feel like you got aud. Specializing m. Imported Ckfiirtjf Moroccaa Imports Indonesian Imports' Indian imports'' 601 Duval Street Special: HAND-CRAFTED KEY WEST TREE ORNAMENTS! Sweep your list away at:626 Duval St #3 AWAY Locate'd at Conch Train Depot Corner of Angela & Duval. all the time in the world to give them. You have to get involved with the neigh- bor kids, too." "Listen to them. They know what they are doing. Tune your child in. He has his own mind. Respect his way, give him a chance. You might learn something." HORTENSE WAS JUST recently baptised (a year ago) into the Adventist Church. It was her first time in the water. It was a pleasure. when she was a girl, her mother was afraid of her drowning. The water was not as bad as she thought. . She likes the fellowship of the Adventists. They take her to the jails and hospitals to tell people to save themselves, and to ask God to help them. She tells them to put themselves in His hands. THE PLANTS maintain a big part of the consciousness of these two nice. ladies. They are always rooting new sprigs and potting them for the house and for gifts. I received some delight- Open 7 days a week 1801 SOUTH ROOSEVELT BLVD. % mile north of the airport ful. Spanish thyme which rooted well. She advised me to throw the good green leaves into my vegetables. She loves music, all kinds. "Some- times I be humming along with the, loud stuff (rock and roll)." Her children brought plenty of music to her. Mrs. Munnings says that you have to pray to overcome troubles. This is bet- ter to do than complaining. Her look is intense. She pats and arranges napkins as she listens. One of her friends had told my son when we.arrived at the party that he had been shy: "Don't be selfish 'with yourself, I love you!" This seems to be Mrs. Munnings' philosophy, too. The sweetness here is what lifts you, even your voice. It allows you to move in their mellow vibe, to pass the time of day in a peaceful., space, an un- hurried way. Call it "Key West Time," stopping by the Thomas Street house. il Oceanfront dining indoors or out Jack Thompson at the piano mM 294-3466 ahd special,seafood dishesf Visit our showrooms and browse through our large inventory of wicker and rattan furniture and the largest selection of fabrics in the Keys. Custom [Draperies & Slipcovers Wallpaper Rattan & Wicker Furniture Lamps Carpeting & Vinyl Flooring Largest Selection of Fabrics in the Keys RIINER-MOSELY INTERIORS lor your utmpkMt' professional interior decorating service. 1025 While StrtitM Key Wosl Telephone 2')4-1278 when jewelery breaks, it needs care. Wm. Gamble, Jeweler, Inc. does skilled repair by two in-shop goldsmiths. MtViiti. 600 DUVAL STREET your hometown epartment ore proud excitement seven days a week • 500 duval street • phone 294-2007 • we deliver free in the key west area REVENUE of THE FIRST TIME I saw the thiree of. them on the beach in Key.West something told ttie they were from out of town, May- be.it was the shiny silver high heels that the young lady of the trio wore for casual oceansi.de lounging^ (in the sand the shoes made her walk like a duck on stilts) which gave me a clue. Perhaps it was the calf-high leather boots that the young gentlemen wore in the eighty degree heat which tipped their hand. Who can say for certain? Often these feelings are more intuition than sub- stance. I do remember, however, that the larger fellow wore suspenders and wool cutoffs with pleats and had a ring in fl /OFT TOUCH i!l;::;'Q 704 Duval • 403 Greene • 296-2622 I BY MICHAEL HAYES his nose; that the girl had a silver lame bathing suit with daring cutouts to match her high heel shoes, and that the second fellow had a mohawk-style haircut and what appeared to be a misspelled, tattoo; it read: "REMENDER (perhaps it is a strange cult practice and not a misspelling) RONALD" (Coleman? McDonald?) Most likely it was a visual memory device for the fellow's own name. Watching** Mo "(hawk) , Ron, and their bosom buddy Silver Lame', I had the strangest feeling that only the elephants and the caliqpe were miss-' ing. UNFORTUNATELY, ENTERTAINMENT was not their intention. I watched from the pier as they settled in for a little routine trashing of the beach. They kicked sand in the face of every ninety-seven pound- er, played football across every beach blanket, shouted obscenities within hear- ing of every old maid schoolteacher, and in general stomped on everyone's sand castle. Their beach campaign went so well that most of the early winter tour- ist crowd was soon chased to the safety of the waiting Winnebagos, and the ob- noxious threesome began what appeared to be a march to the sea along the pier on which I sat. .Deep in my heart I hoped that the march wouldn't have the same consequences as Sherman's little hike across Georgia. "Ahhhhhh Kabloooom!" With shrieks, stones,' and sand clods they made quick work of- the £ish army that the elderly Cuban Conch next to me had up till then been peacefully feeding. This obviously annoyed the old man no end, but since the mohawk had the look of a prison bar- ber and the big guy could have tried out for the lead in the movie, "Bongo's Daddy Gets Mad," there was little the old fel- low could do. I myself contemplated a sudden interest in running and playing in the ocean. When thankfully I was ... Saved! They decided to take on the mighty Atlantic Ocean instead. THE THREE DONNED snorkel gear, which I imagine they liberated in mid-use, though I'll never know where they found snorkels with the ping pong balls still in the little cages (those persons born after 1952 won't even know what I'm talking about), and plunged into the water. I sat in s-tunned" silence as with flippers and elbows they criss-crossed the briny deep — all four feet of briny deep next to the South Beach pier. First blood was drawn when I heard the lady cry, "Look, look! A Concha, a Concha!" There in the sun-creased sky Miss Lame'held aloft her ocean booty. of thia "southernmost" sewage pipe.s "Is not," hollered Mo, sticking his dr.ipping and semibald head back into the atmosphere. "I seen 'em before, and they ain't a bit like that!" "Is toooooo," screeched silver Lame''. "Awwwww, you don't know ." Here Ron used a very practical four letter word for what the young lady presently held in her hand. "Ask the old man," pleaded Miss • Lame7. .."He feeds the fish! He'll know what it is!" FOR POSSIBLY ONE of the very few times in the young lady's life she was indeed correct. The old man certainly did have the answer, or at least an ac- ceptable one. He replied for all ninety- seven pound weaklings and their brethren everywhere. "Yes! Yes: What a nice Concha. That is such a nice Concha that you should take him home right now and cook him up and eat him!" The old man and I laughed out loud, but they were so happy with their catch that they did not appear to notice. When last seen the prize "Concha" was safely tucked away in a canvas tote sack, and the ignorant threesome were headed off for a "seafood" feast. The old man went back to feeding his fish breadcrumbs, and I went back to enjoying the sun's rays. I guess there is some truth in the old saying that not all battles are won with force. In her pale and bony hand she held what may have been a curved piece of ancient tin can (it is difficult to say just what an object is after submersion in the salt water for eighty-seven million years) to which clung precariously a bit of soft brown matter that under better circumstances makes it the entire length a CHANCES classic clothes for men and women 503 FRONT ST. 296-5148 DANSKINS ANITA KANTOR Dresses TANGA BATHING SUITS Brazil KIEHL'S Skin Products HAND-PAINTED Floral T-Shirts MADEMOISELLE- •a.fashion experience now open in the Harbor House Arcade Kitchen Gallery 423 ftonr Kev West 294-0770 « SEARSTOWN KEY WEST , Placemats, Napkins, Dinnerware, Flatware, Large Assortment of Kitchen Gadgets, Bucher Block Tables, Hand- painted China by Local Artists Best Sellers Paperbacks -Gift Books KEY WEST Sailing ŷ Ufarj Children's Books J ^ ^ ISLAND Personal attention to special orders. BOOK STORE ST. KEY VEST Merry Christmas From U® To We're just a friendly, neighborly bar, no flashy souvenirs. Our only overhead is tropical fish tanks/cool ceiling fans, (baseball fans, too), & the murals. Drinking fans love our 15 imported beers, Wines & champagnes. English darts & regular pool, Now serving lunch. Open 11:30 AM to 2 AM. THE SANDCASTLE / £?;aret & Southard blocks east of Duval 10 11 NOW OPEN 8 AM TO 12 MIDNIGHT DAILY BREAKFAST 8-11 AM. WEEKDAYS; 8-NOON SUNDAY BEER, WINE, & COGKTAILS NOW AVAILABLE 310 Front St., Key West, Florida • Ph. 294-2042 • • ®i)t SOUTHERN COMPORT Waterbed and Hot Tub Island 511 Duval St. 294-2260 Major credit cards accepted. Open late for Christmas, 7 days a week. NOT JUST A GROCERY ... BUT A SOCIAL CENTER 522 Fleming St. • Ph. 296-5663 Open 8 am - 7 pm Mon-Sat 8 am - 6 pm Sundays notes & antic- dotes BY DOROTHY RAYHER THE LEGEND OP Prince Charming — in reverse — is the story of Julius F, Stone, Jr., a brilliant man whose luster became tarnished as he progressed toward a career of power and acquisi- tion of money. He was a native of Ohio,.where his father was a wealthy man and a director of the Ohio State University at Columbus, Ohio. In fact, my Master's Degree diploma from Ohio State was signed by Julius .F. Stone, Sr. YOUNG STONE LEFT his home state and furthered, his educa- tion at Harvard University, where he received a doctorate in organic chemistry in 1926. Fourteen years later, in 1940, he earned a law degree there after three years of study, according to a top echelon writer, the late Richard Rovere, who produced an article on Key West and Stone that appeared in The New Yorker magazine, December 15, 1951. Stone had been a millionaire bacK in the Coolidge era when he ventured into the stock market. Came the crash of 1929, and he had lost his first fortune. But he was not at a loss for a job. He became a talented ad- ministrator in New York State, doing social welfare work under Harry Hopkins. This link ultimately forged' Stone's career in Key West, since Hopkins became one of President Franklin Roose- velt's chiefs. Eleanor Roosevelt, also a friend of Hopkins and of Stone through her profound.interest in social welfare, very likely had great influence in Stone's appointment, via Hopkins, as director of the Federal Emergency Relief Administration (F.E.R.A.) for all of the Southeastern United States., including Florida, Puerto Rico, and Caribbean possessions, such as the Virgin Islands. The tremendously important assignment was made in 1933, and in 1934 Stone came to Key West to survey his territory and de- cide what could be done for the island, which was virtually bankrupt as far as the city government was concerned. Nearly everyone was on relief, with only a few wealthier citizens free of debt, if not of worry. A staff of 11 FERA workers was established in Key West. Although Stone spent much of his time and effort here he also had duties elsewhere in the vast project, and assistance was needed. -HE APPLIED HIS ENERGY and expertise through 1934 and 1935, and achieved a general cleanup of the town, which had streets piled high with uncollected garbage. He established a WPA di- vision, bringing artists to the island, among them Bill Hoffman, who still lives here. He got people to paint their homes and fix up property, with the aim of making Key West a resort town that could cash in on its natural attraction as a tourist mecca. One of the amusing asides of Stone's efforts was his at- tempted introduction of wearing shorts, as was done in the Ba- hamas and the Bermudas. He set a personal example of donning the abbreviated sportswear, but as far as Conchs were concerned,, the innovation was laughable. For example, as told by Walter- Norman in his book Nicknames and conch Tales (reviewed in the November issue of Solares Hill) , one of the Volunteer Work Corps laborers appeared on the job in his underdrawers. Declared he, "If Julius Stone can come to work in his under- wear, so can I!" THE LOCAL NICKNAME for Stone, by the way, was "Kingfish," after the enterprising character on the popular radio show_.of the times, "Amos and Andy." u OA RESTMJRAIS n 1) CLASSICAL COOKING BEER & WINE AMEX, MC. BA Old Town Square Open Every Night Serving Dinner 7-11 P.M. Daily 425 FRONT STREET KEY WEST, FLORIDA 294-6707 Bold methods furthered the administrator's success.in put- ting Key West back on its financial feet. He declared the is- land was "in the existence of a state of emergency." He ig- nored standard procedures for a system that was at least on the fringe of being illegal. He confessed to writer Rovere that he used FERA funds to subsidize air service to Key West and to get the Casa Marina Hotel back in operation. This, and the fact that he risked government funds, should have been clear indication of Stone's later ruthless methods in manipulating other people's money.: But at the moment there was only a brightening on the horizon of Key West's future. Stone seemed to be a modern knight in impregnable armor. THE FRONT COVER of Florida Motorist for October 1934 fea- tures Stone's photo along with that of President Roosevelt and Dave Sholtz, Governor of Florida. That year he was approaching middle age. He appears1 as a handsome sophisticate, with black mustache, slightly receding hairline over a deep and broad forehead. He looks alert and confident and is posed with sig- nificance, holding a pen over a sheet of paper. Indeed, his marvin paige, prop. 900 duval street gingerbread square key west 3304(H4tf 305-296-5J558 > open lunch 12-4 dinner & supper 7 - 2 am all night fri & sat most quoted saying was, "With a stroke of the pen I can give it to you — and with the stroke of a pen, I can take it away." In following decades, he was to do just that I The motorist magazine complimented Stone and his staff on rehabilitation of Key West and Monroe County. The editorial page carried a drawing of a rainbow arched over the letters "F.E.R.A." and Governor Sholtz's comment, "The Dawn of a New Era." - A DECLARATION BY STONE stated visitors to the island were welcome, but that the FERA would prefer that they would not come at all, unless prepared to spend at least three full days. "A shorter trip would be unfair to the visitor and to Key West,1 he emphasized. Endorsements of the plan were made by prominent citizens and businessmen, including William A. Freeman, Allen Cleare, A. Villate, Paul Lumley, and Porter-Allen Insurance Company,. This was a challenging policy, but one which was successful. The parade of tourists began to increase. Good publicity lifted the gloom which had. beset the Keys ISLAND IMPORTED CARS KEY WEST CHIROPRACTIC CLINIC IS ANNOUNCING THE EXPANSION OF ITS FACILITIES TO BETTER SERVE YOUR HEALTH NEEDS We ore introducing a complete dietary and liiestyle evaluation program which correlates the effect of diet, stress, and exercise on health. The Clinic Program Now Includes: •COMPLETE SPINAL ANALYSIS •FULL X-RAY FACILITIES •BIO-CHEMICAL LABORATORY ANALYSIS •NUTRITIONAL ANALYSIS •COMPLETE HEALTH PROFILE • VITAMINS & SUPPLEMENTS •DIETARY COUNSELING •WEIGHT CONTROL •SUPERVISED FASTING •APPLIED KINISSIOLOGY •LECTURES DR. DIBRA FLYNN D.C. AND THE ENTIRE CLINIC STAFF WELCOMES CHUCK DEMARE H.C.C. HEALTH CARE CONSULTANT Coll 296-5626 for a free Consultation & Appointment Ills and Health Lecture every Wednesday evening at 6:3p p. rn-. 340 LFIagler Ave. Key West,. a unique boutique Designer Clothes Scott Barry ,Willi Smith Carol Horn. „ Marta Salvadori at Key West Prices! ORIGINAL SILKS GENUINE VICTORIAN ANTIQUE CLOTHES COMPLETE LINE OF DANSKIN ACCESSORIES 111 duval st. - ph. 294-5929'- open 7 days - 10:30-9:30 O r. 12 HARBOR HOUSE cordially invites you to its annual open house Sunday, December 2, 2 - 5 p.m. ut/ La& OOJO neufr / firwuiA/ MOCO w^ Jim's Junktiques Key West Tobaccos Money Gnomes Hi Fashions Toys and Things Raggs to Riches Mademoiselle Sol Rooftop Gallery Browse 'a Braun Chez Emile Driftwood & other originals Metal Sculpture Whitfield Jack Refreshments will be seryecj in general, and by the time Stone departed in 1935 to engage in WPA "trouble-shooting" elsewhere, realization of his vision was shaping into reality. AFTER TWO YEARS MORE in government service, Stone enrolled in Harvard Law School in 1937. He was graduated in'1940 and .returned to the scene of his FERA triumphs. He set up'his law practice here and became a real estate dealer and an investment expert, and in a short period he was a leading citizen. During one period, after becoming a member of the Florida Bar, Stone was in partnership with attorney W. Curry Harris. When World War II came along, Harris joined the military service. After the war was over, he returned only to discover that his former law practice was non-existent. It had been absorbed by his erstwhile partner. There was,, of course, estrangement and a bitter residue for some time. Harris, however, reestablished himself and became a prominent attorney all over again, with a specialty in town property and deeds. He retired to Sarasota just recently. SKIPPING BACK TO the early days of the "Stone Age," as it might be dubbed, Stone formed an association with a lawyer from Jacksonville, Dine Beakes. They purchased part of Boca Chica Beach from Luther Pinder and planned a home division. The pair managed to get an okay from Stone's friend, Governor Sholtz, permitting the tearing down of the old Boca Chica bridge. This happened in 1947, and there was a protest by local people. The beach homes hope did not materialize, but Stone did organize another housing development off Rest Beach, and, with reputable backing and solid partners the subdivision pros- pered. • . Loans were easily obtainable through Stone's office at an exorbitant rate of interest — 12 percent. A banker explained that, since this was outside the recognized limit, a way around the difficulty was devised. The trick was to borrow say $10,000. But the borrower actually received only $8,800. •'A CLEVER ATTORNEY, as well as a sharp businessman, Stone's status in the community was increased by his legal prowess. He was the defense counsel, for instance, in the sensational 1949 Weaver murder case, wherein a woman shot her husband 11 times and went free on a verdict of "justifiable homicide." He .was attorney for Aerovias Q, the Cuban airline that op- erated between here and Havana, and he sold stock in it, as well. He represented a gas company and a grocery market, among other businesses. He doubled in these through investment guidance. This meant extra legal fees for advice and for legal services •rendered, not to mention the investment procedure itself. The list of clients in intermeshing interests is too long to report in full, but here is one personal example: In 1949, I bought the gift section of''Southernmost Flowers Captain HornBlower's will again be bringing you THE BEST IN LIVE JAZZ MUSIC Come relax and ENJOY YOUR DRINKS in a pleasant atmosphere filled with the Jazz Sounds that are sure to "Beat your heart mellow" OPEN 8 PM-4 AM VISIT THE GROG SHOPPE, Capt. HornBlower's NEW package store which features one of the largest selections of beer and wine in the Keys. . OPEN 10 AM DAILY EXCEPT SUN'OPEN AT NOON OPEN FOR BREAKFAST AT 7 AM DOWNSTAIRS RESTAURANT AND BAR Home of the Pina Colada Weekend Special CRAB CLAW DINNER ,....$4.95 Home Made Apple Pie Key Lime Pie Chocolate Rum Pie Solar Iced Tea Conch Salad Grouper Salad OPEN 11 AM — 8 PM 300 Front Street and Gifts, then at 616 Duval Street. The shop owner was Norval Reed, and Stone was his lawyer as well as becoming mine. Eventually, when Reed left Key West for Miami, he sold the flower shop department to my mother, Lila (Mrs. Earle)' Raymer, a widow, and Stone handled that transaction, too! We all paid fat fees for Stone's multi-faceted work. In 1951, circumstances beyond control (too complicated "to go into detail here, including a death in the family and my mother's.return to Pennsylvania), cropped up. At that point, the financial drain for extra help, building repairs, a rebuilt refrigerator for the florist trade, and PO on, was too much ±o sustain without going into debt. A new potential client with money to spend wanted to buy the business. Stone put on pressure, and we had to cut our losses and sell at a discpunt. A banking official informed me later that it was Stone's habit to take advantage of demand notes and to bring about fore- closure on very short notice,, not giving a chance for time ad- justment. AND SO IT WAS with many other persons and businesses. Ad- ministration of estates was another field which led to Stone's benefit. In one case, the young man who inherited his father's estate found that it "had been administrated out of existence," as his uncle told me. A curious case came to light in August 1955, when the Public Gas Company was sued by the Keys Bottled Gas,Company, doing business as the Keys Propane Gas and Marathon Gas concern. A bill of complaint was filed by Julius Stone, as attorney for the latter. He was also a promoter and had gotten various peo- . pie to invest in the gas corporation. In the complaint, Stone alleged that former employees of the People's Gas firm had taken records and documents when they shifted companies. He claimed the Public Gas concern refused to return the documents arid asked Circuit Court to enjoin the Public Gas Company from "tampering with tanks and damaging bot- tled gas installations." But Judge Pat Cannon of Miami denied the injunction and pro- nounced that the suit failed to prove all the charges,. The re- sulting "scandal" was a discredit to Stone, and more than one person lost invested money. WHEN THE STONES bought the former dwelling.of novelist Thelma Strabel, who wrote Reap the wild wind, claim was made that the residence was the true Southernmost House, and that geo- graphically, the mansion now owned by Hilario Ramos, Sr., was the "Southernmost" in name only. Ramos Jr.,, known as "Charlie," hinted the actual survey was never made. He also said that Stone admitted he designated his continued on page 44 13 Shoefly 126 Duval St. 10-8 14 tttferU (Poor Richard's; "RECAPTURING THE AMBIANCE OF GREENEST." JOIN US FOR OUR TRADITIONAL CHRISTMAS FEAST Open for Dinner Tuesday thru Sunday 7 - Midnight Sunday Brunch Noon - 3 Closed Monday 1208 Simonton Street 294-0717 A HOT ISSUE: BEC8 TAX DEBATE HEATS Up TlmouqhouT COUNTRY BY MACK DRYDEN THE EMOTIONAL ISSUE of the so-called "bed tax" is rearing its controversial head again in Monroe County, and voters may get the chance to approve or kill the potential gold mine in the near future. In August the county commission took, the first step required by law toward getting the "resort tax" on the ballot when they appointed a Tourist Develop- ment Council. The council's first job is to recommend to the county commission how the $2 million expected to be gener- ated in the first two years should be spent. If the commission approves the council's schedule of expenditures, the • spending plan becomes part of the or- dinance the voters would accept or reject. IP THE ORDINANCE PASSES, all hotels, motels, rooming houses and guest houses in Monroe County will be required to add a two percent resort tax to lodging bills. The revenues would be collected by the state through the usual machinery, then returned to the county minus the cost of administration. , Proponents of the tax emphasize that the tourists, not the locals, would pay the tax,' and that the hundreds of thou- sands of dollars generated could be used to promote tourism during the summer months, when the flow of visitors slows to a trickle and many Keys businesses court financial ruin. "This past summer was a disaster," said Don Nettleton, president of the Greater Key West Chamber of Commerce and the leader in the fight for the tax. "It started when Tennessee Williams got roughed up on Duval Street and the story got national attention. Then the gas shortage hit us, then news about the. water shortage kept people away from the Keys. Hurricane David was the coup de grace. There are a lot of well-estab- : lished businesses in Key West that are close to bankruptcy." NETTLETON SAID THE resort tax would provide a fund that could be used to off- set negative publicity and keep the visi- tors coming all summer long. Opponents argue that House Bill 2064 (which allows cities and counties to levy the tax) was written for big cities on the mainland and that it doesn't fit Monroe County's needs. They also say businesses are already collecting too many taxes for governing bodies, and that • innkeepers are being discriminated against by being forced to collect the tax while other tourist-related businesses are spared the headaches. IN KEY WEST, battle lines are being drawn along familiar lines. After bitter in-fighting polarized two factions in the Key West Chamber of Commerce last year, a majority of the board of directors split with the group and formed the Southernmost Chamber of Commerce. The resort tax was one of the issues that drove the wedge between the warring fac- tions, so it's not too, surprising that the Southernmost Chamber of Commerce is as vehemently opposed to the tax as the Greater Key West chamber is for it. Jack Smith, the president of the Southernmost chamber, said his group is not opposed to a resort tax per se, but that the present law is too restrictive. "The law (HB 2064) is not a good law and doesn't allow us to use the money for the best practical purposes. It was written NOW OPEN! INSIDE mturU Key West's newest and most complete source of pure foods, supplements, skincare and makeup. •experienced, friendly staff . •over 65 food and bodycare items available in bulk • discount club available • arriving this month: Kiehl's of New York City, Daniel Eastman men's skincare, and dazzling makeup in our beauty department. • OPEN 10-6 Tuesday - Saturday 12-4 Sunday Just what you've always wanted 601 #4 Duval St. (on Southard) 296-2393 'Givea-frienda Kites 409 Greene St. v<-:;,mMm?m^-SSmmm^m f^^p'SSfS^Krf^wS^mw^lP^Ww : \ • , , , 16 COMING SOON The Distinctive Book of Key West Architecture PORTRAITS: NJ(fooden Houses of Key West h-Shai.inHWU&Un.niLirtle Available in Dec. at Local Bookstores For information Cail (305) 294-7511 ublishecl by the Key West Preservation Boclrcl BILL'S MUFFLER S H O P 294-2105 Toyotas & Trucks a Specialty 20 years experience "OU* llUSINtSS IS EXHAUSTING" VANS* RV's*Economy Mufflers. FREE ESTIMATES, INSTALLATION _ . . irtawr-sPEPPERMINT IS-ii-l — 2*1-2 CONTMhS P M M I O T Soiuts* BiS!L PURE-CASTILE-SOAP Environmental Sirens Wi H Sunday 12-9 S!t«IVAt.IT*e*T / WY WKT. M.0RI6A JM« so Daytona could build a convention center and I see no need for a conven- . tion center in the Keys. Before we spend thousands of dollars promoting the Keys', we should spend some money on the streets, the beaches, a golf course, for police protection — and the law says we can't spend a penny of the money for those things." ; Smith said he is "philosophically opposed to burdening businesses with collecting taxes." He added, "Why should motels have to collect and not the Conch Train? Why not restaurants and bars? Where do you draw the line?" NETTLETON SAID lodging facilities are used because almost 100 percent of the customers are visitors, whereas restau- rants and bars are patronized by locals. "That's a major advantage of the tax," he said. "Tourists pay it and the locals aren't burdened with it." As for taxing tourist attractions as • Smith suggested, another proponent of-.the tax said, "Six cents tacked onto a three- dollar admission fee is noticeable, but 60 cents added to a thirty-dollar motel bill is relatively insignificant." Ironically, Nettleton is hoping for an old-fashioned political slug-fest with screaming headlines and lots of air play. "If the voters are educated about the resort tax and know the facts," he said, "they'll vote for it. If there's no public, dialogue and the word 'tax1 suddenly appears on the ballot, they'll vote it down because they won't vote for a tax they don't understand." ADVOCATES OF THE .tax appear to have a good chance of getting the issue on the ballot soon. Three of the five county commissioners have said they are in favor of the measure (the vote was 3-2 to form the tourist council, but four commission- ers appointed men who are publicly in favor of the tax). A clear majority of the nine-man Tourist Development Council is strongly in favor of the bed tax. Nettleton, owner of Greene Street Your key to the Key. 1% hour guided tour of 60 of the most unusual historical sites you've ever seen. The Key West ConchTourTrain Mallory Square. Roosevelt Blvd.. and Duval & Angela Streets Depots 9AM-4PM (305)294-5161. A Wometco Attraction. THE BULL BAR The Best Live Entertainment 7Daysand nightsaweek ( Downstairs THE WHISTLE BALLROOM The Best In Dancing ' Nights a Week Upstairs 224 Duval in Old Town Graphics Inc. , a p r in t shop and advertis- ing agency in Key West, has distributed a pamphlet i l lus t ra t ing the advantages of the tax and a mail-out form that pro- poses a "guideline for expenditures of proceeds from...'The Resort Tax.'" He wrote to the chambers of commerce in all the areas in Florida that are col- lecting a resort tax and asked them to describe whatever' problems they had had with the tax. He printed several of the responses in the pamphlet. "How could there be any problems?" wrote a hotel manager, from Daytona Beach. The Miami Chamber of Commerce wrote, "...we have * had no adverse effects from i t at all . In fact, we have had one of the tourism • seasons that we have had in many years." The Tampa chamber wrote, "The good that can be accomplished with this source of revenue far outweighs any minor incon- venience .in the collection process." i THE PAMPHLET ALSO c o n t a i n s ed i to r i a l s from the Miami Herald and the Jacksonville Journal, both of which glow with descrip- tions of the good the resor t tax-has wrought in those c i t i e s . The "guideline for expenditures" l i s t s dozens of ways the revenues could be used to develop tourism, and suggests what percentage should be devoted to each. Fifty percent of the tota l would be spent for advert is ing and promotion, with an emphasis on a t t rac t ing visitors during the summer months. Fifteen per- cent (an estimated $150,000 annually) would be divided among the nine chambers of commerce in Monroe County to promote their specific areas. Another fifteen percent would be se t aside to help fund art and cultural events such as art shows, thea t r ica l productions, concerts, and various f e s t i va l s . Ten percent would be earmarked for "emergency and contin- gency" to cover unexpected events, good or bad.. The other ten percent would be used to administrate the program. - NETTLETON RESPONDS TO one of the op- posi t ion 's arguments when he suggests in KEY WEST mjmrjmvmrjmr'JC Pirates Alley Key West SEE QUALITY HAND-MADE CIGARS ROLLED DAILY we fill mail orders PIRATES ALLEY in historic OLD KEY WEST * amis * auden * Baldwin * BaRth ^ cheevep ^ qaR6neR * fast AC paulkneR * « QOR6imeR * halBeRStam naRRison * hawkes * mailea * mcpheRson * millet * o'haRa *r Roth * styRon west * Williams * wolfe •T vonnequt * the Bookshop 534 flemmq St., key West, f l 33040 l0am-7pmmon-Sat 4 p m - 7pm Sun. 6-9089 waiting poR you. the "guideline." that part of the revenue could be used to fund the Monroe County Advertising Commission budget "so the residents' taxes currently allotted to its activities (about $136,000 annually) could be released for other uses, such as beach cleanup, volunteer fire and am- bulance corps equipment, and additional Sheriff's patrols." The county advertis- ing budget is now funded by property taxes. Some innkeepers who oppose the tax have complained loudly that the addition- al bookkeeping would be a heavy burden, and that tourists would complain about the two percent rate hike. In the pamphlet, Nettleton writes, "...we have been in continuous contact with the Florida counties that now have this program in action. There are some consistent facts reported: (1) There are no problems for hotel/motel/campground owners that are not overcome by commis- sions from the coirection of the tax (one extra column to fill out on their sales tax form) and their increased business; (2) There are no complaints from the tourists." IN RESPONSE TO a letter from Nettle- ton , a Daytona Beach hotel owner wrote, ."Did you ever hear of a guest coming in- to a hotel or motel and asking, 'What is your tax on your rooms? ' The worst that happens to the hotel owner is that he re- ceives 'an additional commission from the state for collecting the increased amount." Smith of the Southernmost chamber said he thinks most of the opposition would evaporate if the law were rewritten to allow Monroe County to use the_money for beautification, clean-up and police protection. Nettleton said that even if such a bill were successful, the slow- moving bureaucratic machinery would delay the tax for another year and help cripple the county's already sluggish economy. A Daytona Beach innkeeper wrote to Nettleton, "While there may be differences of opinion how the funds should be spent, I don't see how there could be any other question about it." IF HISTORY IS ANY INDICATION, there will be plenty of differences of opinion about how the money should be spent if the tax becomes law in Monroe County. Meanwhile, in the Middle Keys, the Greater Marathon Chamber of Commerce, re- iterated its position taken in 1978 op- posing the implementation of such a tax. as proposed. Chuck Meyers, chamber president, said the chamber's board of directors, acting on the wishes of the majority of the membership, voted to oppose a bed tax but the chamber will also study al- ternate methods of finding financial re- sources to promote tourism in Monroe County. A special committee was formed to look into the issue and to come up with THERE IS LITTLE DOUBT that problems will arise if and when the so-called "bed tax" is implemented in Monroe County, and undoubtedly its opponents will call at- tention to them with loud and bitter voices.. New programs rarely start smoothly. But Solares Hill believes the snags would be miniscule compared to the good the tax could do for Key West and all of Monroe County. The arguments against the tax have all the substance of soap bubbles. One opponent, a long-time Key West resident , went so far as to say, "I've stayed' in motels down here lots of times, so it's not just tourists who would pay the tax." The logic of his ̂ argument is, unfortunately, typical of the opposition. And the argument that the enabling law is good only for Daytona doesn't have much currency in Jacksonville, Tampa, and Miami, which all have enthusiastic praise for the tax. We urge the County Commissioners to approve the tax a.s soon as possible to give the Keys a fighting chance against the resorts who already use modern methods to attract modern tourists . " unique ARTISTS UNLIMI afc 2£u]Duv TED J J r cbu eork worit pexyote. c5o Q unique n&ap f-eniwunQ -c£a-tft«i 425 FRONT STREET Old Town Square FABRIC CITY your new SINGER representative in the Florida Keys, wishes everyone a MERRY CHRISTMAS monday thursday friday Saturday 12 - 6 support your local artists and craftspeople "A Natural Christmas Wonderland in Old Key West" PoinsettUi Plants Fresh Christmas Greens Holly, Door Charms Permanent Center Pieces Largest Selection in Town Slop in nii(i Browse 925 WHITE STREET 294-4651 Kev 1'Kiza CLASSES IN NEEDLEPOINT Hours: Tues.-Fri. 10-6; Sat-10-2 Sun. & Mon. Closed KEY PLAZA 294-2146 ESPECIALLY for women Carmen Miranda Veranda . . .a tropical guesthouse 418 United St. Key West, FL 33040 (305) 294-8345 BevMowbray Center Gardens Guest Homes 918 & 920 Center St. Key West, FL 33040 (305) 294-8147 Dan Elsen Beverly Bevis Photos By Don Pinder THBWAyff'WAS Printing By Percy Curry Jr. Narrative & Design By Frank Jacobson makes a wonderful and unusual Christmas aifl for I by Conchtown Publishers Inc. ovailobte at your friendly newsstand or book store recommendations on how funds could be found to benefit the entire Florida Keys chain. "As proposed, the bed tax, or resort tax, does not distribute tax monies col- lected equitably," the chamber president held. The Greater Marathon chamber would> like to see the resort tax spread over a great segment' of the business community and wants the funds derived to be re- turned directly to the area from which it is collected. The chamber does not feel that the distribution of funds as proposed in the pending bed tax plan is fair to all areas of the Keys. Copyright 4th Q,ua./tte.A, 4 7979 I A A U Z \:ton.lda Kzy& Magazine. Re.pJiint'e.d with pe.fLm.iiA.ion a& the. Publi.6he.Ji. ^ UWifc omXj\j A Merry Christmas *nd A Happy New Year Freedom from artificical substances Whole foods at I he Herb Garden Natural Foods 900 Southard e r e ^__^_ o 5? KEV W£ST ? For Holiday Giving Crystal ° Trays Placemats Glass o Gifts Flatware Dishes ° Napkins Basketware LOWELL C. Merry Christmas! DINNER BUFFET Roast Turkey • Baked Ham • Roast Beef Mashed potatoes, gravy, turnip, squash, meat stuffing, bread stuffing, cranberry sauce; all the fixings & trimmings: ALL FOR $9.95 (complete) Complete with our 48 item salad bar. Plum Pudding, rice pudding, apple & Pumpkin Pie, etc. See us for Your Holiday Party Plans « Party Rooms Available -• Musicians Too! • Buffet/Trays for Your Holiday-at-Home • Parties from $35^9 & Catering Coming January 1: The mystery & romance of old Morocco comes to Key West as Rick Branford's Lowell C becomes Rick's Cafe Americain & Casablanca Lounge with a big get-well Celebration all day New Year's Day Join the Fun! \ \ \ \ \ V \. N3 No. 2 Key Lime Square Ph. 294-3115 700 Dwval Street Key West, Florida Private Parking in Rear 296-6210 if A ' : • 126 DUVRL STREET KEY WEST 20 EdlTORJAl BY BILL WESTRAY THE KEY WEST LAND USE PLAN ON DECEMBER 6, 1979, at 7:30 p.m., the City Planning and Restoration Commis- sion will hold a public hearing on the latest draft of the Land Use element of the Key West Comprehensive Development Plan. The" hearing will allow for oral and written input from citizens of Key West. The Land Use Plan (LUP) is the first element in response to the Florida Comprehensive Planning Act of 1975. Ad- ditional elements will include transporta- tion, utilities, housing, recreation, con- servation and others. Environmentally, the latest Land Use Plan has been substantially watered down since it was first presented to the pub- lic on April 2, 1979. At that time, the LUP prepared by Billy Pinder and Garland Smith of the Public Service Department contained strong language protecting the submerged preservation and conserva- tion lands against exploitive develop^ ment. That Plan echoed the constraints recommended by the Florida Keys Coastal Zone Management Study completed by the Department of Natural Resources in 1974. That first draft said that the City would "comply" with the recommendations of the 1974 study. The new draft states that the 1974 study would be used only as a "guide and reference." THIS CHANGE IN POLICY appears to be primarily the handiwork of the- new City Planner, Keith Golan, who joined the City after the first draft LUP was written, and made an almost surgical alteration in the plan to permit filling of sub- merged land and eliminate constraints on use of conservation land. When • pressed for his reason for the altera- tions, he stated that he did so. after , talking to other people, including own- ers of some of the submerged lands around the airport and their agents and the original language of "comply" in- stead of "reference and guidance" to the LUP. DURING THE WORKSHOP meeting of the • Planning Commission with Senior State Planners, Ted Forsgren and John Brock, in Key West on October 23rd, Brock in- quired into why the proposed City LUP did not incorporate a map. At Mayor McCoy's request for a response on this from Golan, the City Planner said that it was more difficult to get a Land Use Map adopted, with more procedural diffi- culties. Considerable discussion on the subject followed, during which it was THE CITY PLANNER IS RELATED TO OWNERS OF SUBMERGED LAND WHICH HE IS IMPROPERLY ATTEMPTING TO HAVE CLASSIFIED AS DEVELOPABLE, spokesmen. Keith Golan has stated flat- ly that he does not agree with state and federal law that restricts filling of privately owned submerged lands, and that court decisions upholding state and federal law are unjust. He said that he finds many of the provisions in the Florida Keys Coastal Zone Study that he disagrees with. He has further stated that he will not incorporate anything in the new City LUP that would restrict owners of submerged land from developing any way they choose, and that .his deci- sion on this reflects the guidance of the officials "who run the city." He emphatically refused to restore pointed out by Brock that omitting a map makes future interpretation more diffi- cult, allows more leeway to future govern- ing bodies, and is more subject to chal- lenges in courts. It was then decided, primarily by the Mayor, that the City would incorporate a Land Use Map as part of its plan, using the "map from the 196 8 Mild Smith Plan with corrected boundaries as its basis. Since the October 2 3rd workshop meet- ing, City Planner Golan has supervised the preparation of a Land Use Map for incorporation in the LUP. However, the new map is considerably different from the Milo Smith map on which it was sup- On the patio in Key Lime Square Deli, Seafood, and Vegetable Sandwiches Our specialties: Lamb sandwich with mint and sour cream. Fresh Florida lobster sandwich. WE DELIVER 296-3335 ,0* , # 0 ,&- G J &̂ W* K^.^ *Ask around, you'll come to Sunlion * y One of the biggest selections and the best prices on 14K and 18K gold jewelry in the Keys. Are you tired of impersonal jewelry? At Sunlion, your original concepts are translated into persona! ond dis- tinctive jewelry creations. The finest gem quality stones are cut & polished to the shape you desire. Mountings and chains are designed in solid ster- ling silver, 14K or 18K gold. All work is done on the premises and in most cases I can give you same-day service. All chains can be custom-cut to bracelet, necklace or anklet length ... or sized for wherever you might want to wear them. Call or write for an estimate, I will send it, and' then your special creation, directiy to you. silversmith • goldsmith • lapidary jS^unlion Jettielrg cosrom toork jc^iclru repair neiJ jefferg goWbcrg "J05-206-8157 t. 1373 208-a duDal street ftcu toest, floriija w o posed to be based. There is no category of Submerged Land which the Milo Smith Plan contained, and all boundaries of lakes i ponds and marshes within city boundaries have been obliterated and deleted except the bight, the harbor and the Riviera Canal. Specifically, the salt ponds around the airport have been deleted from the map, and almost all the lands south and east of the airfield have been shown as suitable for multi- family development, while the lands north of the airport, which are predominantly tidal wetlands, are marked for single family development. . ACCORDING TO THE 1968 Milo Smith Plan, there are approximately 560 acres of undeveloped high, dry land in Key West proper, and another 285 and 170 acres on Stock Island and Key Haven, re- spectively, available for development. This is over 1000 acres that could be built upon without filling any submerged land. If all of it were developed for residential use at an average density of 7 units per acre (as approved by the City in May 1968), we could built 7000 new living units with a capacity of over 20,000 additional people. Even half the total would accommodate 10,000 people. There are less than 100 acres of submerged land around the airport. The owners of this land and their agents would have us believe that building apartments, condominiums and townhouses in the submerged ponds is vital and neces- sary to fill the housing needs of Key West. IT OBVIOUSLY ISN'T. The truth of the matter is .that the owners and speculators bought the lard in order to reap enormous profits through exploitive development.- These people and their agents have raised a loud hue and cry about private property rights, when their true motive appears to be to seek i:r~ense private profit rights at the exper.se of the general public. OUR DEE? CofltERIi now is that the private speculator interests seen to have prevailed on our City Planner to promote their interests. We don't know what pressures have been used, but we do know that Keith Golan was directly re- lated to the late Abe Golan and Sara Golan, and is consequently still direct- ly related to the heirs of these estates. Both Abe and Sam Golan were substantial owners of property surrounding the air- port. In 1978, the Abe Golan estate was denied a permit filed by Attorney David Horan on behalf of Charles Thornburgh (son-in-law of Abe Golan and, therefore, cousin of Keith) to fill about 12 acres of submerged land southwest of the air- port on South Roosevelt Boulevard. We are appalled that Keith Golan has effected an about face from sound environmental constraints in the latest Land Use Plan and Map, and has adopted an adar.ar.t position against incorporating the sub-erged land and conservation con- straints contained in the Coastal Zone Management Study of 1974, which the City 'Commission originally agreed to cctrply There is obviously a potential con- flict of interest when the City Planner is related to owners of submerged land which he is improperly attempting to have classified as developable. WE USGE THE PUBLIC to attend and voice their views at the public hearings to be conducted by the Planning ana ?,e- stcration Commission at 7:30 p.c. en Thursday, Decesber 6, 1979, in City Kail, and again following the City Com- mission neetina on December 17, 1979, at 8 p.r.. SILL WSSTP.Ai", who has been a con- trihutor anal editorial consultant to Solares Hill since 2976, was recreate 3 appointed a neaier of the Planning and Restoration Cosnission when it was re- activates early this year. He is Chair- man of that iicdy and has played arc ac- tive role in preparing the City's Land Use Flan, i 423 Front St., Harbor House, 296-5366 WE BUY, SELL, TRADE Specializing in U.S. and World Coins, Gold and Silver, Spanish Treasure Fleet Coins Estate Jewelry. Diamond Appraisals We Buy. In business in Key West over 12 years. 423 Front 296-5366 Specializing in Coin Jewelry, Diamonds, Antique Appraisals^ CALL 305-872-2620 h \ * • « ' - . . "FREE" COMPUTER PORTRAIT WITH THE PURCHASE OF ANY OF OUR ITEMS INTRODUCING KEY WEST'S FIRST COMPUTER PORTRAIT SYSTEM A new and exciting medium. Your portrait can be transferred to any of our high quality fabric items including T-shirts, hand bags, barbecue aprons, calendars, wanted posters, etc. We can photograph you at our Greene St. location, or you can bring in your favorite photo. We have the most advanced system on the market, which gives crisp, clear computer portraits in oniy "55" seconds. Come by lor a free pose and see for yoursett. "Couples are our specialty." Located Next to Capt. Tony's Saloon COMPUTER PORTRAITS iftV M/ECT 426Va Greene St IVET WEO1 Key Wed, Florida HOLIDAY SALE WICKER MAKES BEAUTIFUL GIFTS , N We Mail Promptty PIPES, CIGARS, CUSTOM BLENDED TOBACCOS AND SMOKING ACCESSORIES "UPSTAIRS" HARBOR HOUSE ARCAtK 4 2 3 FRONT ST. [305] 296-8371 Copt BOBJ6 RESTAURANT Fresh daily, right-jrom-the-ocean SEAFOOD Raw Oysters Shrimp Steamed in Beer Conch Chowder Lobster & Turtle Steak Homemade Key Lime Pie DESERVEDLY FAMOUS FOR FRESH SEAFOOD Open 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Daily 908 Caroline St. 294-9005 23 {fir 1 DESIGNED Consider your engagement ring for what it is: diamond and mounting. We are authorities on both. We'll make sure the diamond you select is the size and quality that's right for you. Then, we'll help you choose the proper mounting from our exclusive Designer Collection. Together, diamond and mounting are designed to be the kind of engagement ring you've always wanted. Witt. Gamble - Jewelers 600 Duval Street THE FULL MOON SALOON AND LUNCH ROOM Cldt Gifts Galore on our Christmas Cart * Easy Shopping a: our ^.ail Order Desk • 524 Front St. 294-5592 25 24 LEARN TO FLY THE CPC WAY! Start With A $10.00 Discovery Flight! • HERE'S A SPECIALCOUPON i OFFER THAT WILL GET YOU jIN THE PILOT'S SEAT... IFOR ONLY $10.00! ; This coupon and $10 entitles you to a pre-flight briefing, a Discovery • Flight during which you actually fly the airplane under the direction of a : Certified Flight Instructor, and a spscial atter-the-flight evaluation. And • $10 pays for everything! : It's our way of introducing you to the most popular flight training • program in the world, developed by Cessna, world leader in personal | flying. It'sa system that brings flight training down to its simplest form, : makes it easy for everyone to learn to fly. With the best instructors, the • best airplane, and the best curriculum. : Whatever you do you can do it better if you fly. i DISCOVERY FLIGHT COUPON ISLAND CITY FLYING SERVICE, INC. KEY WEST • MARATHON 296-5422 743-3038 AIR TAXI-REEF TOURS-PILOT TRAINING FLYCCSSNtti THECPCUinY'. Htiuse; 294-5914 COOKING CLASSES call 6-6656 Oh, WhAT A TANqltd HELEN CHAPMAN BEING THE KIND OF person who never reads a bestseller until it*'s at least ten years old, and maybe not even then, I recently became interested in macrame. There was really only one reason for my interest, and that was to make a hanger for a small pot in which I planned, in time, to put a nice little plant. I never rush any project. When I'm eighty- five years old, I'll still be saying, "Oh, I have lots of time-'1 I found directions for macrame in a magazine, but it wa,s only after I bought a ball of jute that I read them. I didn't know about all- this pinning-to-a- board business. I don't have patience to learn anything that tedious at this stage of my life. But I do know how to crochet. So I bought a tremendous wooden crochet hook, and lo.' I made the pot hanger. It is not an elaborate piece of work, but it supports the pot. I have yet to get' the plant. That comes next week. NOW I HAD a lot of jute left, and my cat being bored one day, I gave it to her. She'adored it and immediately took it under a wooden chair and wove intricate designs around one of the rungs. She is an especially bright cat and loves to get things into, places from which it's vir- tually impossible to get them out. So it was over and under and over and under until she almost garroted herself. (At this point, she decided one hind paw needed washing and was momentarily dis- tracted with that useful activity.) The next day I sat pondering this mess of twine and suddenly realized that she • had macramed the chair rung. Do you realize the odds on this happening? How many cats with how many balls of twine in how many days can write a short story? Oh, no, excuse me, ment. that's another experi- NOW ASHLEY MIGHT not approve the knots she used, but I'll bet they would secure the Queen Elizabeth ,to the dock indefin- itely. There is a certain easy careless- ness about it, belying the hours of hard work she put into it. There is no way to extricate the chair short of cutting the masterpiece, and I don't want to hurt her feelings; she seemed awfully proud of it, and from time to time, adds a few more knots. Unfortunately, they are all on one side, which gives a rather un- balanced effect. But really now, how many people do you know with a macramed chair rung? Nice color, too, sort of a deep red. Or it was until dust began accumulating. Now it's a dusty rose. Of course, I now have a tremendous wooden crochet hook which I will never use. It might be handy for stirring soup, or fetching the cat's ball from under the refrigerator (where she will promptly roll it again, between knot.--making) . Or I could buy another ball of jute and give it and the hook to her. Maybe she would crochet me a scarf. I could start an industry: Kat Krafts, Inc., Jn •The Heart Of Old Key West. I wonder how many cats with how many balls of twine and how many tremendous wooden crochet hooks in how many days could...oh, forget it! JIM PICKING TUCKER SAUNDERS _ _ LINDA PATCHETT Prescriptions Flilwl Lenua Dtlplklled « Refmira a Specialized StiJitluses The Key West Optician All your trucking needs since 1976 • Demolition OLD ISLAND COBBLER SHOE REPAIRING 1024 TRUMAN AVENUE, KEY WEST (Across from Big Al's) TELEPHONE 294-1388 FAST SERVICE Price may vary with gtitf fluctuation. Design <£< W7» Whilfidd Jack 14K ̂ t $50 Pendant actual size Gold and silver conchs everybody can afford The golden door at Harbor House 423 Front \ Looking for a Great ^)k Christmas Gift •/'H'•£*•? Giving? Let us help you with your Christmas gift selections. Give that special someone a custom framed work of art. FARRINGTON GALLERIES, INC. ART SUPPLIER TO THE ARTIST A PERFECT CHRISTMAS gift, or for any other occasion, for those who know about Key West, or want to know, is offbeat Key Nest .-- The Way It Was, published by Conchtown Publishers, Inc. Copies are available at newsstands and book stores in Key West, and the Florida Keys. The fascinating photos are by Don Pinder, Chief Photographer of The Key West citizen. Printing is by Percy Curry, Jr., one-time typographical head of the Citizen newspaper, following in his father's footsteps. Narrative and design are done by Frank Jacobson, one- time reporter for The citizen. SINCE I WAS on the staff of the same newspaper for 28 years, I am doubly ap- preciative of their combined endeavors and can endorse fully what they have accumulated in the slick cover publica- tion. The selection of photographs is, amusing, amazing, and comprehensive. There are some errors in~ the captions and spelling, but they are minor; for example, the Von Cosel spelling is cer- tainly not "Von Kossel." However, the revels and revelations of years gone by, from-the 1930's through to recent develop- ments , are. covered admirably. ( ONE OF THE FEATURES is on the notor- ious Swamp Gang.. After perusing those candid shots of young toughs, you might be thankful that the gang is not on street corners today! Other town characters are_ included in the gallery of photographs, including international celebrities such as Jayne Mansfield (she's on the cover with Gerald Saunders), and Georgeous George in wrestling throes (throws). I covered that story as feature writer for the newspaper. THE TOPICS TOUCH on more than cele- brity visits and include ppliticos, town characters of the more colorful category, shots of old buildings, mem- orable happenings, international and national figures who visited here, and a great many priceless views of archi- tectural impact. The seedy side of life here, as well as the glamorous, are included in this fabulous collection of photos, in itself a miniature historical review. WHTAIII IEfl NiOHTLY ^ TO > 428 Breene St. i ^̂ * j; • V 2911417 400 S1M0NTON ST.. KEY Telephone Lunch 11:30- WEST. FLORIDA. 33040 256-2578 3:00 Dinner 7:00 -10:00 Sunday Brunch Closed Sunday 11:30-3:00 Night & Monday ' G&8DEN RESTAURANT 616 DUVAL STREET KEY WEST 294-7722 Key West's Newest and Most Exciting Leather & Jewelry Shop Tired oi Old, fAafiana leather Shops? The finest selection oi table and floor lamps, track lighting, celling fixtures, yard lighting, outdoor fixtures & chandeliers in the Florida Keys. LIGHTING Searstown 294-7916 Beautiful Brunches in our poolside garden daily 9-4 fe* Our famous evening dinner parties by reservation only] Everything they've said is true! A BREAkfAST A T ShoRTy's WE HAD COME to Key West, as I told Eric, so I could spend my money on things like clothes and jewels. Eric came for ' the ride and conversation, but he is the unusual type of man that one can take along when buying dresses. He is patient and complimentary and understands the quandary of feminine indecision. I can't think of many men who handle that mission as well as he. We had forgotten that the island sleeps late in the summer. In the tropics ,- where Key West almost is, the nights are the finest times, when the temperature is just exactly right and a breeze blows in from the Gulf Stream. People take ad- vantage of the nights, and at 10 a.m. as we are walking down Duval, most of them are sleeping. EXCEPT AT SHORTY'S, where some are drinking coffee. We join them to await the beginning of a normal Key West day. We anticipate a peaceful interlude of. coffee, pancakes, the morning paper, so. we are a little bit disturbed by a young man making loud demands at the other counter. He is rather drunk, and the volume of his voice is an embarrassment to the waitresses, a distraction to the clientele. The customers at Shorty's are grumbling. Some mutter to each other, some glower at their plates. "It's ter- rible," remarks a-small man next to Eric, "I am eating my breakfast and thinking of how much I'd like to push his face in. It can't be good for the digestion." The young man has been demanding pancakes, service, and, vehemently, con- sideration for the breakfasters of the human race. "Can't I get a decent cup of coffee anywhere?" he shouts. He is nmnSkim C/CLATHIMACLOTHING 310 Front St. wearing an orange T-shirt from Sloppy Joe's. Outside the little restaurant a dog is barking in the sun. An embarrasse.i waitress brings his breakfast, and the people at the counter are angry and tense when nothing seems to satisfy the loud young man. It seems best to ignore him, and that is what we try to do. He is finally briefly quiet while he's eat- ing. THE ATTENTION OF the Shorty's cli- entele has been diverted to the street outside the restaurant's plate glass window. A very large dogcatcher has parked his truck along the curb and is walking toward the little black mongrel that is loose outside the restaurant door "Anybody in here own this dog?" he asks through the restaurant's open door. His voice is a Florida drawl that reminds me of the syrup on my pancakes. No one an- swers . The loud young man is still in- tent upon his breakfast. ; The dogcatcher shrugs his shoulders and ambles toward the truck. It is clear to all that the little dog has sensed this new and important danger, for he starts to slink away. The big man tries to apprehend the offender with a noose- like thing, but the mongrel does a skip upon all fours, appears to laugh, and gets away. The audience in the restau- rant is obviously glad, but the little dog, who thinks it is a game, comes back, THE LOUD MAN at the counter has noticed that he is no longer the center of attention. "What's going on out there?" he asks. He watches with us as the dogcatcher removes from his truck a Custom work in 11 ounce waterproofed cotton marine duck. Duffle and dive bags. Sea bags and tote bags in stock - or made to your needs. Steve Ness Kathy Hoisington #14 Key Lime Square 294-8216 FOR WOMEN 125 FitzpatricK,,-,.;V,A^ HOT HI-FASHION HOUSE NOW! FOR MEN very large syringe. At the counter of ..the restaurant, someone gasps. "It's just an anaesthetic," says the little man near us. "He's only going to knock him out and take him to the pound." Someone else agrees that dogs upon the street are really quite a problem. "It's a shame. He's really a nice dog," re- marks a coffee drinker. No one has no- ticed that the drunk has left his break- fast and is watching from the door. WHILE THE DOGCATCHER has his back to us and is filling the syringe,, the drunk has left the restaurant and is talking to the dog. The dog is wary now, and first he backs away, but the young man takes a wobbly step and is persistent. . "C'mon, boy," he is saying as he crouches down with outstretched hand. The dog lowers his head and tentatively licks his hand, and soon the man is petting him in the way of one who has an honest love for animals. Someone at the counter says, "Well, I'll be damnedl" as the drunk and the dog walk away together with an obvious enjoyment of each other. The dogcatcher turns in time to, see the two friends walking down the street. He shrugs his shoulders, smiles to himself, and drives away. Inwardly, the breakfasters at Shorty's cheer, and turn back to their coffee with relief. "I'll buy that loud guy's breakfast," the little man says to the waitress. Sheepishly he looks at us and shakes his head. "What can I say?" he adds. "The villain becomes the hero>" and he pays his bill. "Drunks and dogs belong together," Eric says. We rise to pay our tab as well, for by now Key West is opening for business. We leave satisfied and full of breakfast, and with the feeling that the honor of both dogs' and men has been restored. 27 •ISLAND FEVER by Marjorie Houck (After John Masefield's "Sea Fever") I must down to Key West again; To the sapphire seas and sky, And all I ask is a palm tree's shade And a shrimp boat passing by. And the coral vine and the moss rose And the golden shower- tree And a blue mist on the sea's face And a scarlet dawn for me. I must down to Key West again. For the call of the island breeze Is a haunting call and a siren call That rustles the banyan trees. And all I ask is a tropic night When the tide is running free, And the fragrance of the jasmine Brings memories•to me. I must down to Ke,y West again, To the friends I've long known there, To the conch shells and the key limes And the sun off Nallory Square. And all I ask is a place to swim From a beach that's clean and free. And so, dear friends, take care, take care, Of our heritage from Him. CAPTIVE by Helen Thielen The beach is quiet as the sun goes down. Small furrows in the sand are canyons Filling slowly with the seepage of a step. Out on the dock rail a cormorant clings, Its wings too heavy with the sea to fly. I too am held by the sky and the:sea, Not for the time it takes a wing to dry, But bound forever by the sun and spray. Announcing the 1979 Christmas Damascene* Collector's Plate The firsl limited edition in a scries of three. Reed &. Barton Silversmiths ore proud to present "Merry Old Santa Gnus," Thomas Nast's classic illustration recreated in n shimmering collage of hron:e, burnished copper and pure silver. This colorful commemorative Damascene plate is first in a series ot three, featuring heralded 1 lXh century art. Permanently protected against tarnish, each plate is 8 inches in diameter, gilt-boxed. Original issue price - S55.OO. Limited edition of 2500. Beachcomber Jewelers Key Plaza Shopping Center 296-5811 Season's Greetings Season's Greetings Season's Greetings Season's Greetings Season's Greetings Season's Greetings Season's Greetings Season's Greetings Season's Greetings Season's Greetings Season's Greetings Season's Greetings Seaso m • \ • • • • 3 - II (5 we've moved/ a sunglass emporium la place 111 duval st. open 7 days soss $6ui|eei9 S,UOSD«S sBmeej© s.uosDes sBuueaJS S.UOSDOS sSujieaig s,uosoes S6UI(9SJQ s.uosoes sBuiiseJs S.UOSDSS s6u|jeejs s.uosoes s6uueej«> s.uosoes sSuoeejs s.uosoes s6uneejs S.UOSDGS sBuiieeJS s.uoso&s sButieejQ s.uosoes » I Presented at the San Carlos Theatre for the benefit of the Restoration Fund. Phone the box, office at 294 • 9 8 9 8 . Box office opens Saturday, Dec. 15. Coming in January Februarv I and March: Phyllis Biller, Side by Side by.Sondheim with Arlene Francis and Joe Masiell\ Rip Taylor, Charles Pierce, Michael Greer, and Maxene A ndrews. - •" ' • -••> •>'•' , 28 A ChmsTMAs'Wrrhoinn SNOW A SHORT STORY BY RICHARD MARSH ILLUSTRATIONS BY JOHNATHAN D, LEACH JEFFI LIFTED THE bamboo fishing pole so that the bare hook dangled above the still water at the end of White Street Pier. Her two-year marriage to Steve the Rising Young Bank Executive had been an education, and one of the things she had learned was that it hurts to be hooked and dragged out of your native element, no matter how sweet the bait. She was not sorry that her undisguised I've never seen a Christmas without snow, and it just doesn't seem like Christinas." "Christmas is Christmas. It doesn't matter where you are. I've been all over the world — Miami, Tampa, Disney World and saw Mickey Mouse with the grandchildren — but I've never spent a Christmas away from Key West. Even dur- ing the war I worked at the Navy Yard and spent Christmas at home; With family and friends and anyone who happened to hook had failed to attract even a grunt. "There's no flying fish around here." The voice at her elbow startled her. It belonged to an.old man with Spanish features and longish white hair and the several-days stubble of a white beard who sat straddling a nondescript bicycle. A pipe dangled from the side of his mouth "You won't catch any fish with your hook in the air like that," he continued. "I was thinking," she said defensive- ly, pushing her full red hair back from her face. "I guess I just drifted off." THE OLD MAN nodded his understanding. "This your first time in Key West?" "No, I was here once before, about two years ago." It was their honeyiaoon. She couldn't get enough of the relaxed island lifestyle after the excitement Of the wedding, and Steve couldn't leave quickly enough to plunge into the Chicago business world for which college and his father had prepared him. Jeffi had dared to suggest that they invest their wedding money in a business in Key West that would belong to just the two of them, and it had been the occasion of their first j As if he had been following her thoughts, the old man asked, "You vaca- tioning alone now?" The lesson that a woman alone in Key West is a fruit to be plucked had been brought home to her several times by party-minded young men — some of them dazzlingly handsome in year-round tans •— and some older men as well. So she an- swered reluctantly, but proudly, "Yes, I'm vacationing alone this year, and I'm enjoying it." She had found that adding that last part was usually enough to fend off any unwanted further conver- sation. "You're the first person I met who enjoyed Christmas alone," the old man. said in a tone of disbelief. "Or did you drift so far off that-you forgot that tonight's Christmas Eve?" SHE HAD FORGOTTEN. "It's the snow. T ijean, I knew -but I keep forgetting. be in town away from, their family. "It's a family tradition. My grand- mother started it when my mother was a little girl, and I keep the custom going. My wife and me. She's baking a Key lime pie right now. I was soaking the beans until three o'clock this morning. I soaked the pork all night in sour oranges and boiled the ham this morning, boiled it to make it hold the taste better and iron it to melt the fat and brown it. Salads? Nobody makes salads like my wife does. Most of it comes out of our own garden. "Well,"I'll let you go. I don't want to take any more of your time. I know you people down here on vacation have things to do to keep you busy, and, anyway, I have a few more stops to make. But if you can find some time this even- ing, you're welcome to stop by. End of Poinsettia Lane off Graveyard Alley, what they call Angela Street nowadays. You'll see a yard full of poinsettias With that he pushed off and pedalled away, leaving Jeffi staring open-mouthed, IT WAS A TYPICALLY miscellaneous afternoon mixture of tourists, artists, and end-of-the-roaders scattered around the bar and clustered at tables that Cecil squinted into from the doorway of Captain Tony's Saloon. "Hey, Cecil," Captain Tony greeted him from a stool at the bar between two admiring college girls. "Can I buy you a Christmas drink?" Cecil carefully negotiated the low step into the bar and sat next to one of the girls. "No thanks, not today. I'm in too much of a rush. Lot of stops to make yet. Maybe just a small brandy to keep me going." "Pam," Captain Tony called to the barmaid. "Brandy up; water by. Time to gather in the strays again, eh, Cecil?" "A lot of people in town. No one should have to spend Christmas alone. You'll come by, won't you, Captain? You know you're always welcome; And bring your friends with you if they're not busy. Anytime this evening and all day tomorrow." . . "Brandy up and water by," said Pam in a Mississippi drawl, setting the glasses in front of Cecil. "Merry Christ- mas, sir." "Thank you, miss. You're invited, too. Bring your husband or boyfriend along. To your health, and yours, Cap- tain, ladies." DOWNING THE BRANDY quickly and chasing it with a gulp of water, Cecil excused himself and made his way slowly around the bar. "What are we invited to?" Pam asked Captain Tony. "Cecil and his wife, Stella, put on a Christmas feast every year for all their friends, and Cecil always goes around looking for people who don't have anyone' to spend Christmas with. Get Tim, and we'll all go over tonight when Annette and Denise and Janet come in to relieve you. They can go tomorrow. Set aside a casa of Heineken and a couple bottles of brandy to take with us. "Look. He's reeling in another one." They all watched as Cecil approached a man sitting at the other end of the bar, writing in a notebook. Cecil stood about ten feet away for a moment, then went up to the man and began talking. right on the corner. . Just ask anyone where Cecil and Stella-live," •.•.••--. Soon, Cecil left, saying, "Merry Christ- mas. . See you all later:,;*'-, , : • •• - ... Then the man Cecil had been talking to closed his notebook and came up to Captain Tony. The man was in his twen- ties, bearded with glasses, and physic- ally well toned without being overly muscular. He had the private but com- fortable air of a traveller accustomed to feeling at home in strange places. "Captain Tony," he said, "that man who just left invited me to a Christmas feast, and I'd like to take something when I go. I saw you talking to him, and I thought you-might have a suggestion." "Cigars," said the Captain. "He used to be a cigar picker and packer — you know, picked them out for quality and packed them in boxes. I've seen him smoke those long Key West Smokers, the ones with a twist on the end, when he's not smoking a pipe. That's the kind the cigar-makers used to take home with them at the end of the day. They were allowed to take some,"you know. "Mr. Culmer still makes them at the Cigar Factory in Pirate's Alley. Just tell the lady behind the counter who looks like a gypsy — Eleanora Walsh — that you want a box of Key West Smokers for an old cigar-maker, and she'll set you up right." FOLLOWING DIRECTIONS FROM Libby, the desk girl at the Eden House, where she was staying, Jeffi walked the two blocks to the cemetery and started hesitantly down the dark, narrow, potholed alley that is now called Angela Street. She stopped at the corner of a lane that had no street sign and admired the poinset- tias that grew so high that they obscured the lower half of the house behind them. "Excuse me, I'm looking for Poinset- tia Lane," said a voice. She looked up to see a young bearded man with glasses. "I guess I found it. I've never seen poinsettias grow that tall. In fact, I've never seen them out of a pot before. Do you know where Cecil and Stella live?" "Sure," said Jeffi with the confi- dence of a tourist directing another tourist. "Just at the end of this lane. Are you going to their Christmas dinner, too?" They started down the lane. "Cecil invited me this afternoon. I brought a box of cigars to contribute to the dinner." "Oh," said Jeffi. "I never thought. I didn't bring, anything." "That's alright. You can have half my cigars." JEFFI GIGGLED at the thought of walking into someone's house with a handful of cigars, and she remembered • that it was the first time she had giggled in a while. "No, I couldn't do that. It would look silly." "Then you can lead the Christmas carols." Her face fell. "Oh, no. I can't sing." "Nonsense. Everyone can sing. Be- sides, it's Christmas." "No, I mean I can sing, but I'm not supposed to. I tried to be a nightclub singer in Miami Beach right after the right after I left Chicago, but I strained my voice and only lasted two weekends. I think I was too tense. It was my first try at being a professional singer." "So you're just down here, on vacation?" "Actually, I'd like to set up a lit- tle seamstress shop here and do some parttime singing when I get my voice back. I'm a small town girl at heart, and Key West feels comfortable. And you?" "I travel a lot and do whatever I can to make an honest buck. I just haven't gotten'around to leaving Key _ West yet. I keep putting it off. This must be the place." A BABBLE OF VOICES drifted from a well lighted old Conch house. They knocked at the open door and were greet- ed with a chorus of "Come on in."_ People were standing and talking and sitting and eating from their laps, Someone said, "The food's in the kitchen," and Jeffi and the young man found their way to a long table groaning with dishes of food. "I'm Stella," said a regal, motherly woman standing behind the table. "Wel- come to the feast, and Merry Christmas." SHE REACHED OUT to squeeze Jeffi's hand and shake the young man's. "I'm Jeffi, short for Jennifer. Cecil invited me." "Of course," said Stella. She turned to the young man. "And your name?" "Jeffi," he said. Jeffi blinked. "Your name is Jeffi, too?" she said. "No, your name. I've been wondering what it was since I first saw you at breakfast at Rich's Restaurant at the Eden House the other day." ""Then you two knew each other before?" said Stella. "Sort of," said the young man. "We just met," said Jeffi. "Cecil?" Stella called. Cecil, standing at the kitchen sink in a little alcove, glanced in the dir- ection of the table and shrugged. "Well, never mind," said Stella. "Fill your plates and come back for more when they're empty." "Thank you," said the young man. "My name is Tom, by the way. I'm glad to meet you. I brought a box of cigars. I'll leave them here on the table." "Actually," said Jeffi, halfway through her plate of food, "I did notice you at Rich's, but I didn't recognize you in the dark tonight until you mentioned seeing me." Tom laughed. "And I noticed you not- icing me, but ... well, I'll explain later." When the crowd had settled and only a few late-comers were still eating, Cecil pulled an old guitar down from a hook on the wall. "Can anyone play along to accompany some Christmas singing?" he asked, hold- ing the guitar aloft. "I can strum the chords, if someone can start us out on 'Silent Night,1" said Tom, looking at Jeffi. "I can't sing very loud," Jeffi said, "so you'll all have to help out." She sang in a breathy whisper, and a ragged chorus started to follow her, but the chorus soon faded to. a hum that sup- ported her voice without obscuring it. A tightness that was,in her throat at the beginning of the song relaxed, and by the end she was able to hit the high note in "heavenly" with something like her usual voice without strain. She held out her hands and shook her head to stop the applause. "Say, you really can sing," Tom said. "Your voice sounded all right." "It's not like Miami Beach. I'm more relaxed here. But I think I'll just hum . along when you get to 'Deck the Halls.'" After the carolling, the crowd start- ed to thin out, and Cecil and Stella were kept by the door with goodbyes. , "You were going to explain something later, you said," Jeffi reminded Tom. "Is it. late enough now?" "It's a song I was working on this, afternoon when I met Cecil at Captain Tony's. It sort of explains what I was saying earlier." He took a notebook out of his pocket. "It'goes like this." He picked out a melody on the guitar and sang: . . "X don't know what your name is, I don't guess I ever will. I see you here the same time every day. And if I wasn't shy I think I'd ask you who you are, But' I don't have the nerve to let you hear me say:- "What's your name? You look like somedne that I've met. I mean I know that no one's intro- duced us formally, and yet You look like someone that I'd like to get to meet — If I could only find a way to speak. "I. think I've found, the answer. ,.-I've• •, . 2 9 decided what to do. I'll make a song and sing it to the air. I'll make it say 'I like you, and I.'d like to know your name; ' And I'll sign it from someone you've seen somewhere." When he finished singing, he studied the guitar strings and said, "It's not quite finished yet, but that's basically the way it goes." "Could I make a suggestion?" Jeffi . said. "Sure. What? It's sort of your song, too. " "Add some verses — like every other verse — that tells the girl's point of view. Maybe she would like to meet him, too, but she's too shy to make the first move. She could sing alternate choruses. And then the chorus changes the last time, and they both sing: "What's your name? You look like someone that I know. I mean I know that no one's intro- duced us formally, and so I think it's time we. let our voices try this harmony, And sing a shy 'I like you' melody." "I LIKE .IT. Why don't we work it out tomorrow morning at breakfast?" "Sounds good to me," Jeffi said. "I could probably even spare an hour or two after breakfast as well. Tomorrow's Christmas Day, you know." "I'll just cancel all my appoint- ments for tomorrow, in case if takes longer than a couple of hours. Hey, it's getting late. Everybody's leaving." "IT'S PRETTY LATE," Cecil said when they came to the door to say goodbye. "Do" you want me to call you a cab?" "I'll see Jeffi safely back to her hotel," Tom said. "It's on my way home." Cecil nodded, and his eyes twinkled — "like a tropical Santa Claus," Jeffi thought. "Well, we didn't get any snow this year, Jeffi," Cecil said. "I hope it didn't ruin your Christmas." "Christmas is Christmas," JeffT '" -~~ quoted him. "It doesn't matter where you are. Thank you for inviting me to your feast ... and everything." Cecil shrugged and' looked at the floor. Stella said, "You come back soon and see us. Both of you. You won't be leaving Key West right away, will you?" "Not right away," Tom said to Jeffi.. "Not right away," Jeffi said to Tom. "That's good," Stella said to Cecil. Cecil shrugged and nodded. 30 COME WATCH US ENAMEL A craft, an art, a tradition... Porcelain fused into copper at 1800° degrees 306 FRONT ST., KEY WEST, FLA. 33040 / 294-4044 At Pirate's Alley in Old Town ENAMELS - ashtrays.centerpieces.jewelry COLD AND SILVER HANDCRAFTED JEWELRY WE HONOR A U CREDIT CARDS • OPEN YEAR ROUND PlEA PART II BY KATHLEEN HARGREAVES IN THE OCTOBER ISSUE, Solares Hill looked at plea bargaining, a courtroom procedure which offers a defendant judi- cial consideration in .exchange for a pre-trial guilty plea. In the United States, plea and sentence bargaining accounts for the final disposition of more than 80 percent of all criminal cases. In Monroe County — and Key West specifically -- that, national average is exceeded by 15 percent. In Key West, plea bargaining is not only a judicial way of life. It is, with minor exception, the only game in town. This month, solares Hill examines What the court ultimately decides on O'Neill's case -- whether charges are summarily dropped, negotiated down to second degree murder, manslaughter, o r less, or recommended for trial — depends on the collective efficiency of Key West's law enforcement agencies. ACCORDING TO REPORTS, O'Neill and Michael Fowler argued over which of. the two men would sleep on the Gulf Oil dock near Mallory Square. Fowler's body w a s recovered from the water at the Navy property adjacent to the Pier House. After being picked up for hitchhiking , "PROSECUTION IN THIS TOWN IS VIRTUALLY NON-EXISTENT,,,, OUT OF 100 CASES, I'D SAY THREE TO FIVE GO TO TRIAL," CPL, FRANK HATT, KWPD . the procedures of local law enforcement agencies in an attempt to discover why, out of every 100 cases, as few as five ever make it to trial. WITHIN A PERIOD of 32 days, John Joseph O'Neill was arrested on three separate occasions. He pleaded guilty to the first offense, hitchhiking, and was released from jail in two days. Two days later, he was arrested again and charged with burglary.' Records showed no police report had been filed. With- out a police report, the state attorney's office was unable to prosecute. O'Neill was back out on the streets. Three days later, he was behind bars again. This time, the charge was first degree murder. Three could prove to be O'Neill's unlucky number. He just might make it to trial on a murder rap. O'Neill allegedly confessed, but claimed that the victim was still alive when thrown in the water. Unless fees for a private attorney are located, O'Neill, a drifter from Massachusetts, will be represented by the Public Defender's office, which handles approximately 80 percent of all cases in Monroe County. ACCORDING TO JOHN KEANE, Monroe County Public Defender, the purpose of his o f - fice is to defend the constitutional rights of every client to the best of its ability. Plain and simple. The Public Defender's job has nothing to do with a client's guilt or innocence. That decision is made in court. "Our responsibility is to see that the rights of the indigent-accused are WE HAVE LANDED! 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SERVICES. a g o Let Ansa - Ring Be Your Answer * * » Hargreaves Secretarial Service •?03CorQiIne *294-8471 H 0 0 F80MT STREET KEY WEST FLORIST, IHC. HAPPY HOLIDAYS KEY PLAZA t- , to legally exploit that benefit of our client. tion," Keane said. for the ur obliga- -it' ~ * h IN OTHER WORDS, the Public Defender's client receives the same rights as would someone with all the money in the world and who was represented by a privately A RECENT EXJiKPLE of just such an er- ror was the State Attorney's failure to process (within a reasonable length of time) a murder indictment against a local IT:an who had- allegedly walked into the police station, confessing his crime. That oversight was responsible for his release. Case dismissed. Depending on who you talk to, this sort of behavior happens "all the time" or rarely. Rick Fowler, Assistant State Attorney, maintains that his office is overrun with paperwork. "We're drowning in a sea of it right now," remarked Fowler, gesturing to a half-dozen eight-inch stacks of reports and file folders. We've had approximate- ly 1,4 50 felonies come into this office since the first of the year. I personal- ly think I'm doing a pretty good job of "IF, AFTER REPEATED REQUESTS (TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT), I STILL DON'T THE INFORMATION, THEN I DECLINE TO PROSECUTE.', RICK FOWLER, A S S ' T STAT HAVE E ATTY appointed counsel. Included within the Public Defender's mandate to protect clients is a vast area of legal activity which includes making sure the prosecution dots their i's and crosses their t*s. "You have to remember that these are human beings ever there in the State At- torney's office. In our case, if we blow something, there's going to be an appeal. If the State Attorney misses one simple statement, like venue, iden- tification, value (in reference to the -anetary distinction between some mis- demeanors and felonies) theguy's going to walk out free. In the process of the ccurtroor- pressure cooker it has happened that the {prosecution} has blown an ab- solutely airtight case through human error, I'm not ccir.piair.ir.q. I"~: not pointing a fin-set at ther. We sake errors', too. B-jt when they make one, cur ~".ar: is c?c-ir.c" to walk. An. a it is our leb handling my share. What criteria do I use? I "ask myself if I've done the best I can with the tine and energies available to rr,e , " he explained. EVES THOUGH THEY theoretically work' on the same side of the judicial system, the police and the State Attorney's of- fice are frequently at odds about the way cases are handled. The police view their role as removing law-breakers from general society. The State Attorney con- siders the processing of th~se arrests vital to the smooth operation of the courts. "Why do we resort to plea bargaining? To move the caseload," Fowler explained. "It's more a question of mathematics than anything else. lea bargainingthan anything else. g moves cases, Vou have to re!~>e~i:er that w£? n ^ " v h-jivQ 1 ? o r IB dcivs z"K:j'f r*\onth available for hearing trials. That doesn't allow us an awful let of time 33 MOES SHOP hair styling hair coloring Mr. Coffee authorized service center men's cosmetics wholesale supplies pwxft©- c*i em, open f$m town, ptMu stftfy & for each individual case. Nobody likes l.plea bargaining... It turns us into paper '•shufflers. But what's the alternative? *]lt would take a ten-fold increase in • courtrooms, staff and budgets to carry l^every case to trial. The State encourages tf'plea bargaining. Their Open Discovery iprocedure was instituted to facilitate | plea bargaining," Fowler explained. « ALTHOUGH RELUCTANT TO identify them- t selves in print, a number of Key West "policemen point a collective finger di- *rectly at the State Attorney's office have to post a hellacious bond. Ke night not be abls to come up with it. Now, I've got him where I want him -- behind bars. At least for a little while, I know he's not going to be out on the street selling those drugs or breaking into houses like I thought he was," Dcolittle concluded. KHETI-iFR OR ROT the officer has the right to act that way is not really the issue. It's done. Police, frustrated by what happens in the State Attorney's office, feel justified in handing out sons immediate law and order. Improper charges, unsustainable charges, only exacerbate the problem of extra paper- work at the State Attorney's office. That, in turn, results in more cases being thrown cut of court; which trans- lates into additional frustration for the police. The vicious cycle goes on and on. The most often cited .complaint levelled against the police by other members of the judicial system is their failure to write an accurate report. P.ick Fowler says he runs into the problem so often that he now has a form on which he'lists as many as 15 to 20 cases that require additional information from the arresting officer. He explains the- process. "I receive an arrest affidavit. If there's not sufficient information, I request a report. I usually wait ten days. If I still need more information, I send a memo to the officer. If there's no answer, I redirect the request to his superior. If, after repeated requests, I still don't have the information, I decline to prosecute," said Fowler. Although the police questioned by Solares Hill cannot categorically deny that improper reporting is responsible for a large number of cases dismissed by the prosecutor, they insist that their personal experiences with the State Attorney's office do not involve failure to supply reports. "I know my paperwork is turned in. The cases I'm talking about were not dismissed for lack of reports," one of- ficer replied. DESPITE THE FACT THAT a significant amount of time is*devoted to the subject of report-writing in the police academy, it is the one aspect of police work that seems to fall by the wayside after di- plomas are handed out. For every arrest an officer makes, he must also file a series of reports. It is upon these reports that the State Attorney's office ultimately bases its decision to proceed with prosecution, dismiss the case, or begin step's leading to a negotiated plea. Frank Doolittle, who went through the academy, offered his thoughts. "I maintain that the number one biggest mistake, the biggest problem the police have, is writing reports. It's drummed into their heads. Mavbe it's 208 DU VAL ST CUSTOM SANDALS MADE IN ONE DAY >| JrumaitOMcl5uH«ttOit. . Closed Tuesday, 0 •\ without extravagance EJUEEN'S TflBLE a* ANGELC'S TAKE OUT SERVICE AVAILABLE OPEN DAILY 'TIL 4 AM 208 DUVAL ST. reremphasized. And yet, the FBI"in- ductors will stand there and tell them |ey know that after they've been on the free a short time, they'll begin to lite sloppy reports, shoddy reports, no 'Sports at all. They won't follow up ith their paperwork. Report-writing" is |ry important. I don't know why it is, jft it's a universal problem with police jpartments," he.said. f Without properly written reports, |e State Attorney cannot proceed with ^successful prosecution. One of the Isponsibilities of a State-appointed ' rosecutor is the determination of riminal intent: the decision whether ; not a crime has been committed. In rder to take a case to trial and extract conviction, sufficient evidence must presented by the arresting officer. f. the officer fails to clearly describe (ie crime committed, if he describes one rime and charges the accused with mother, if he neglects to provide suffi- cient evidence or witnesses, when appro- riate, the person accused of the crime Stands an excellent chance of walking way from a conviction. . IN EFFECT, a competent policeman is jcpected to be an unbiased witness to a 'rime, a reporter, and a para-legal, not So mention a psychologist and a keeper of the peace. That's a.pretty tall order for anyone, let alone someone who constantly deals with the worst elements of society for under $10,000 a year. It is, however, his. job. The Monroe County Public Defender's office has a 47 percent dismissal rate. It is one of the highest in the State. That either means that an awful lot of innocent people are being arrested, or a lot of guilty people are being put back on the streets because of mistakes made within the legal system. THE FACT THAT A person accused of a felony in Key West stands 20 to 1 odds of never going to trial illustrates the dichotomy between the workings of the real legal system and the fantasy served up to the American public on television and.movie screens. I'm not.a betting person, but I'll wager you this: if I'm ever arrested for a felony, I'll post bond, ask to be represented by the Public Defender's office, and insist on a trial by jury. If I'm not lucky enough to be back on the streets because of some error or act of expediency within our judicial system, there's not a doubt in my mind that by the time my case comes up for trial that plea bargaining pot will have been sweetened so many times I'll feel like a ',-35 kid in a candy store. I wouldn't worry about going to trial until I was called into the court- room. You don't agree? Think about it. When's the last time someone offered you 20 to 1 odds? "NOW" In memory of Steve Laugh with me now, if I'm laughing. Cry with me now, if I'm crying. Live with me now, while I'm living. But most of all, Love me today, not forever, For tomorrow is promised no one. by Ruthi Cslabrese Jir\i place to dine lovers • of fine food 5:30 to 11:00 3U20 '31. Sioosevell zBlvct. 294-55/// Someplace where you've never been KZ1300 • 4-Stroke, DOHC 6-Cylirtder, Liquid-Cooled Engine • Shaft Drive • 120 H.P. • All Drilled Disc Prakes • Top Speed: Are you kidding? $4,87900 Don't let the good times pass you by! KAWASAKI KEY WEST Corner of Southard & Whitehead Sts. Ph. 294-5551 r the iitwht after SOUTHERN COMFORT Waterbed and Hot Tub Island 511DuvalSt. 294-2260 Major credit cards accepted. Open late f or Christinas, 7 days a week DARBY & MITCHELL tmakingycabi millwork IslandStock 37 36 REMINISCING ON MY SCHOOLDAYS IN SPAIN When I was seven and lived in Spain, I'd walk two miles to school in the heat or rain. Wearing a white smock without a wrinkle or stain. My name was embroidered in bright red thread, And my grade was determined by the bow that was red. Blond little pigtails, snaggle tooth, too, The next year my tooth grew and my red bow was blue. I'd sit in school embroidering, with bandaids on my knees, And as soon as I'd get home I'd climb hills and trees. At night I'd string beads on the floor in candle light, Then my mom would tuck me in bed and.kiss me goodnight. I'd get up early the next day, brush my teeth, And bathe in the irrigation pool. Then I'd run off and skip the two miles to school. That life was so perfect, just like a dream. Certainly easier than now at seventeen. by Rachel Duffy maxell ROCK, JAZZ & QA&SICAL Buy 3 UD-Xt 90 Cassettes and get one of these limited Edition Stereo Albums FREE! Look for this special offer at: ...at the only Key West restaurant whose gourmet dining has been praised by Travel & Leisure, The Saturday Review, The New York Times, Playboy, The London Evening Standard, Holiday Magazine, and Better Homes & Gardens, Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. Sunday brunch 12 noon to 3 pm. 5 Duval Street • Hotel (305) 294-9541 • Restaurant (305) 294-4691 The New Bose Model 301. Small Size. Small Price. Big Performance. The Bose Model 301 Direct/ Reflecting* speaker system utilizes a carefully produced balance of reflected and direct sound to give you the spatial realism of a live performance." 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According to the label, the powdered coffee is "adapted for quick preparation of a cup of coffee" and is "made from natural coffee and retains all of its flavorful and nutritious qualities." Sound familiar? . The directions are concise: "Put one teaspoon of the powder in a teacup (use a dry spoon'.) , pour in hot water and stir." The price of' such conveni- ence : six rubles ($9) for 100 grams, about 3.5 ounces. OpEN 11 AM TO 9 pM FREE PARKING Ttt. 294-4000 EL CACIQUE RESTAURANT SPECIALIZING IN SPANISH FOOD & CUBAN SANDWICHES 12? DUVAL ST. • Vi Block FBOM NATKMAI BAIA . / * fr- ,- 1 4 . 296-8576 ALL °f u* at- Las Palmas 38 The Guild Hall Workshop Group The Guild Hall 614 Duval Street Telephone 296-9359 An outstanding array of original art and finest quality prints by internationally- coilected Key West professionals. * Walter Ashe * Poochie Burford * Barbara Hodgens * loan Howe * Ann Irvine * Fran Kebschull * Maxine McMullen * Irma Quigley + Stan Sharp Watch them work in their studios in oil, watercolor, prints, drawings, driftwood, acrylics, tiles, pottery and other media. " W I N N I E " RUSSEIL, CENTENARIAN "How does it feel to be a hundred years old?" "Am I a hundred yet?" "Oh, yes, you're a hundred," "Well, I guess I'm older than I thought." "But, how does it feel to be a hun- •dred?" " It. feels good. " ' IF.REGENERATION IS, as it is reputed to be, one of the characteristics of those people who are born under the zodiac sign of Scorpio,then one local lady is living testimony to this trait. With a smiling countenance as unwrinkled as that of an adolescent, local Scorpio Winifred "Winnie" Russell recently cele- brated an event that is shared by few BY MALCOLM ROSS fellow human beings, her one hundredth birthday. Born November 19, 1879, at 718 Southard Street, she has spent most of her century of life, on "the rock" with the exception of one week during World War II, when she went to West Palm Beach to visit the sister of her father. Winnie's father, William Wallace Knowles, came to Key West from Rock Sound in the Bahamas when he was a teenager and soon found employment as a sponger at the time when spongefishing was Key West's major industry. After a short time,in Key West, he met a young lady, one Ade- line Brady, who had herself come from the Bahamas a short time before and from the same community, Rock Sound. They had not been aware of each other's existence while in Rock Sound, but Key West was to become the locale of a wed- ding and a partnership which was to last many years and produce a family of seven sons and four daughters. CIGARMAKING WAS SOON to follow on the heels of the blight-doomed sponge industry, and many people in Key West flocked to the cigar factories for em- ployment, including young-Winnie Knowles, who spent about ten years working as a "stripper" in the factories, stripping the stems from the leaves of tobacco which were rolled into cigars. Winnie's clearest memories of Key West are of a horse and buggy, community with mule-drawn streetcars. The horse and carriage was due 'to be replaced .by a horseless variety, and the internal combustion engine was destined to change the world and pollute its atmosphere. AT THE AGE.OF NINETEEN, Winnie married Richard B. Russell, who drove a gasoline wagon and delivered the commodity to customers in the days before gas sta- tions became the popular mode of dis- tribution. Winnie continued to work in various cigar factories around Key West after her marriage, until the pressures of a growing family forced her to stay Great Couples... You Two, and Your Rolex Oysters. t You're on the move. Life is light, sure. Timing is right; and it has t look right, too. That's why you both wear Role*.—distinctive, im- pregnable, superbly accurate. It's a concept, and, above all, a qual- ity. It suits your Itfestyie. His: a 30- jewel self-winding Datejust with f stainless steel case, 14M. goid ^ and 26-iewet self-winding chronometer movement. Hers: Lady-Date.with stain- less steet case, 26-Jew.el self-winding movement, 14kt. gold bezel. Both •'Oysters" are guaranteed pressure- proof down to 165 feet. Their magnifii dates change automatically. Witt. Gamble 600 Duval Street CASH REGISTER SYSTEMS for Bars Restaurants Motels Supermarkets & all purposes AUTHORIZED DEALER MAXVOLPIAN 1100 Truman Avenue 296-6698 Mon-Fri 9-5 Sat. 9-12 home and raise her children. Her children numbered six: Sybil and Carl, who are still living, Bernard and Ruby and two who died in infancy. Winnie herself attributes her longevity to the fact that she always honored the Fifth Commandment. "It gives you long days to live when you treat your mother and father good." WINNIE NEVER THOUGHT she would live to be a hundred but is appreciative of the gifts which the Almighty has bestowed upon her: "The Lord has been good to me." She has had the lifelong gift of fine health and a hearty appetite, which still allows her to enjoy her favorite dish of black beans, rice and steamed chicken, as well as everything else that is put before her on the table. Insomnia has not been a problem for her, and she is.quick to drop off to sleep, savoring an afternoon nap as well. Sufficient exercise may have also attributed to her longevity, and until a recent bout with pneumonia at ninety-three she was able to walk downtown at least once a week for lunch at Kress. The three days in the hospital slowed Winnie down somewhat, and today she is restricted to her house and environs at 9 Jerome Street, where she has lived for the past 64 years. Nine Jerome Street is the-only house left on Jerome Street, which is actually not a thoroughfare anymore and barely gives the impression of being a street, due to having been filled in with lawns and shrubbery. It is probably no longer even a fixture on a map of Key West. BECAUSE OF HER infirmity, Winnie has .not been able to attend the church of her faith, the Glad Tidings Tabernacle-, i Winnie was originally a Methodist, but | television has become a new recreation | and has allowed her to watch religious | programs, which she greatly enjoys. With the aid of her two children, friends and an automobile she was able to be present at the one hundredth birthday party which was thrown for her at the church. Besides son and daughter, Carl and Sybil, Winnie has the satisfaction of knowing that her issue includes two grandchildren, seven great grandchildren, and four great-great grandchildren. A long and happy life is a rarity today, but somewhere within Winnie Russell's nature — a proper balance of physical and spiritual energies — may lie the key to longevity. g\ . . fi. KEY . WEST • & GLASS WORKS r CUSTOM STAINED GLASS WINDOWS & SHADES CLASSES ART GLASS SUPPLIES in j[1018 T r u m a n j n^294-0538 H £08 DUVAL ANCHOR MEWS , r Th e cream • 6l3J£cluval • C H F E • key west • float* . uttztkotd. 'Bu.tkiScotefi }{uf Coff®. hemonadcc pzsh c3 40? ' Ofaya Juice, rfmttedykfef. p p p i pineapple,, filled ditti 5 flaicrfs offHtf « IDhok ^scoops ia cfeant, • , fZ.OO Th GfcmMs, Waffle tl.50 JUUm iffefmtfloM daily/ . 10% OFF ; total order- good'til ; / 5 DEC/79 f^ S scoops fi ^ pp aid nuts- -• *3.Z5 - ... a.25* 6etrifcctyou can'tr eat it alt Sij joio&df! ccfy/spfiti! ; d t i'S Invironments] Sirens 518 DUVAL ST. 40 ! • ' • • " • . " . " " . . • ' . ' - • ' • • . . - . » - • • ' • • • • - • • «'' • - , FANTASY FEST % ii.ii Key West's First Annual Fantasy Fest, October 26-28, when you could be -- at least for a weekend -- whatever you al- ways wanted to be. One lady had always fantasized being a hood ornament, so she disguised herself as a ship's figurehead. A lady who has been a "native" of Key West since the fourth grade was a "Conch," wearing a large conch shell to win the first runner-up costume prize. An air conditioning mechanic from Mara- thon really "got into" his work and built a robot costume of air conditioning • ducts to win the $1000 first prize. "Dracula's Bride" screamed the entire length of the parade from the top of the prize-winning Fast Buck Freddie's float. Flamingos, butterflies, sheiks, more than one Dractila -- all manner of fish and fowl, flora and fauna (including one faun) -- danced and strutted the weekend away in what observers called the most spectacular celebration Key West has ever seen. Cafe 613DuvalSt. Key Lime Square 294-6565 Northern Italian Cuisine 615Duval Street, Key West 294-6565 42 DAILY SPECIALS Where You Get Good Value Every Day SPECIAL EVERY DAY 1030 AM TO J FM Lunch $1.29 Choice of Chicken, Shrimp. Fish or Hamburger Choice of Fr Fries. Mashed Potatoes. Corn or Salad SPECIAL EVERY DAY 10:30 AM TO 10 PM Hamburger Deluxe.... $1.65 Quarter-Pound Burger on a Toasted Bun. with Cole Slaw and Fr. Fries SPECIAL EVERY DAY 10:30 AM TO 10 PM Chicken Dinner $1.85 With Cole Slaw. Fr. Fries or Mashed Potatoes. Roll and Honey SPECIAL EVERY DAY 10:30 TO 10 PM Fish Dinner $2.19 With Co!e Slaw. Fr. Fiies or Mashed Potatoes. Roil, and Tartar or Cocktail Sauce DINING ROOM - TAKEOUT SERVICE STRURflnT OPEN 6:30 AM TIL 10 PM PHONE M4-927& MALONEY AVE. & 4th AVE. ACROSS FROM BOYD'S 1 Ib. T-Bone Steak Bar B Que Ribs, Chicken & Pork Shrimp, Oysters & Scallops Hot Corned Beef & Pastrami Coney Island French Fries • Beer & Wine • Complete Breakfast • Homemade Chill • Conch Chowder & Fritters SURF & TURF $J!5O« LOBSTER DINNER WE COOK YOUR FISH EAT IN UNLIMITED family cT^eslauranti ̂ TAKE OUT 1102 Key Plaza, US #1 Ph 294-2204 saltwater design, inc. custom swim wear & wrap around shorts made in key west kino plaza I09 fitzpatrickst. •294-6463 BALLAD FOR A MOCKINGBIRD by Harriet Ferguson Old Key West is just the quaintest town'. Its technicolor world is full of sound. And the sweetest sound you've -ever heard Is the music-making of the mockingbird '. When the mockingbird s.ings his song, There's nothing in life that's wrong. This is a lovely place, Caught here in time and space. When the mockingbird trills all day, What mockingbirds have to say, Magic is all around, Made by that wondrous sound. 'Cause he's in love, they say, The mockingbird sings that way. (When I'm in"love, I, too. Sing all the whole day . through.) So, we wait all the season .long, Just for that sweet-bird song. And when he starts to sing. Once more we believe in spring'. SUNDOWN REVERIE Striking amethyst orchids Light the rosy-colored dusk And brilliant sunsets fade Behind my views Of leafy palm fronds floating In the jasmine-scented breeze While night approaches With quiet settled hush We dance among the immortals In the hollows of our eyes More sustenance than this A man may never find by Teri Axford SftLJTDS Nlcoise Avocado Stuffed with Shrimp Bird of Paradise (with Fresh Fruit, Cottage Cheese or Yogurt) Seafood Salad Stuffed Tomato (with Tuna Salad) (with Shrimp Salad) Avocado, Tomato and Onion A la Carte Salad Open for Lunch January 2 Vermouth Cassis Blanc Cassis Sangria Sweet or Dry Vermouth Port Cream or Dry Sherry Champagne Cocktail Dubonnet (Red or Bfonde) LJDett Mimosa SWPW1CJ1ES Tuna Salad Reuben (Open face) Shrimp Salad Finger Steak (Sirloin on Garlic Bread) Grilled Cheese, Tomato & Canadian Bacon (Open lace) Hamburger Cheeseburger Grenache Rose Chablis Burgundy Wine by the Glass Eggs Benedict Fish of the Day Platter of the Day Conch Steak Stone Crabs OLD TOWN SQUARE OPEN FOR DINNER 6-11 CLOSED FOR LUNCH SATURDAY Heineken (Light or Dark) Bass Ale St. Pauh Girl Michelob Lite Michelofa on Tap Conch Chowder Soup of the Day Mushroom & Mozzarella Cream Cheese & Scallions Omelette of the Day 425 FRONT ST. KEY WEST, FLA OTHER Q101CES Perrier Water Coffee, Hot or Cold Tea. Hot or Cold Apple Juice Soft Drinks . . Milk Espresso Cafe con Leche CLASSICAL COOKING BEER & WINE DESSEKTS Pontchartrain Pie Dessert of the Day Key Lime Pie Ice Cream (Chocolate Sauce 50c extra) KEY WEST by Robin Kaplan The fluid juggler, shifting weight, speaks of rhythm, balancing time on his palms. Three l i t torches arc under one leg and over his shoulder. This Gulf sunset is vivid. Five musicians play uncommon lutes and mandolins. I hear, "There was an old gal from Key West, who had to take weight off her chest..." From the lyrical "fur-people" worshipper. Two sailboats parallel the pier, one with a canvas handpainted erotic, the other one white. Tourists gape at the iguanaman dripping with reptiles. Down here we're much thinner-skinned, quicker to breed, faster to shed. ' Each of our newest skinlayers is built of cells conceived on this island. We make the conscious choice to keep ourselves and others healed and living. There are no secrets. Praise the palmetto for enormity and gentleness. Praise the newt for dexterity, expression. • Then the cry from bananabread man, "Don't blame me if it's all gone soon; get i t now, hot and fresh." He cycles the wharf. On the deck, some hands are loaded; long on princes, long on queens. Then the nightime inkstain wash of waves permeating sand. The air and water merge at equal temperature. This island's breeze is a mix of sea, lime, and frangipani. Seabeaten, wooden facades mask paradise gardens, tropical birds, sculpted pools and waterfalls. This is a view of America and her people on an island 90 miles north of Cuba. Look What's New! Greetings. . . Still the best selection of greeting cards in the Keys. New arrivals in- clude beautiful Oriental all- occasion cards and a few X-rated. Come see Key West's zaniest Christmas cards! Soap Opera The continuing ever popular Key West saga of clean sweet smelling bodies. Sumptuous soaps, sham- poos, lotions from: Crabtree & Evetyn of London True of Switzerland Caswell Massey of New York Paris Presents Organic Grooming Works If you've got to smell - make it good) Key West Zoo A hand picked line of plush, posh and simply irresistible stuffed animals. Unicorns, bison, baby pink elephants, alligators, hippos, rhinos, lions, penguins - all wildly yours. And King of the zoo - Babar! P.S. I love you. New stationery lines by Givenchy Mary Quant Mary McFadden Designer Graphics High-tech Papercase and many more. You old bag! Introducing from California Kangaroo bags - bright nylon •daypacks in a wide range of sizes at unbeatable prices. China SyndromeFabulous Florida Guaranteed Key West's tackiest, kitschiest souvenir corner featuring a huge selection of post- cards and flamingos. Beaded belts, tacky disco Florida purses, and much more! Hand picked imports from the Orient. Fans, umbrellas, baskets, silks, shoes. THANKS! Thanks to your support we are one year old. To celebrate we are having a first anniversary sale Dec. 4 through Dec. 7. Please bring this ad in to receive 10% off anything in the store - even 10% off many sale prices! We will - be open daily starting Thanksgiving weekend.. Layaway now-fordhristmas: Gift boxing, and- -wrapping. will be available, this year. Inaugural Season of The Tennessee SERIES A: STAGE COMPANY ^ ! ^ ^ I W E T H E R R E T U R N F R 0 M MEMPHIS? THE THREE PENNY OPERA . :»!» with ifw vouftfuf sensuality of her young daughter. ~* poetry, ftis uniquely beautiful play by our beloved :IL 10, 11, 12{M), 12fJEi 13 New York City theatre-goers. Led • racy, rowdily raucous underworld i SERIES B: VlSlllNG^RTISTS US BALLETS TROCKADERO DE MONTE Notes and Antic-Dotes continued from page 13 abode on South Street, near the corner of Whitehecid, as the gen- uine Southernmost house simply for "commercial enhancement." The hassle disrupted a friendship between t h e Ramos family and Stone -for awhile. STONE AND HIS attractive Wife, Lee, whose f i r s t name was actually Lucille, had become part of the upper soc ia l structure of the town, and they acquired many friends / which of course aided Stone in'his monetary ventures. \ He was president of the Key West Art and Historical Society along about 1953-1954, and he became a d i r ec to r of the Florida First National Bank. Stone juggled all of his diversified f inanc ia l schemes with wiley skill for more than a decade. A reputable bank official noted that Julius Stone kept his various investments extremely secret, and no one but he knew exactly what was being transacted, Ultimately, his wizardly juggling of a wide range of buni- ness interests and investments became too .complicated. Me began to lose control of the precarious balance system. In short, money acquired for one thing was put into something ent irely different, and some investors sustained l o s s e s . In a number of cases invested funds disappeared entirely 45 from Stone's, and that al?h™« in real -estate Stone and J ? severed even f i p gaged in S f of a 2 ^ « ^ 1 a dedicated man i GWUAUME DE MACHAUT DE PARIS practice was separata W e r e t o ^ e t h e r for some time ° f f b u s i n e s s relations and1 1 " ^ Bt°M "** e"~ ihat J u l i u s was too He £?? a m e « Judge and was THE CLAUDE KIPNIS MIME THEATRE . AKILS "'«* l.imt» ».'s:a»s tamo ftawtw * M mnwd •> r*partatk»n unnrpased in the art of mime. A student of that great French w M . *»««! MIKCIW. * * Hn**** hast g*#w**l a *n»8* writing young company that silently explores the humors of' SERIES C: GREENE STREET THEATRE A N Y T H I N G G O E S • rMRLAW 21, 22, 23{Mj, 2MU 28, 29, MARCH 1{M), 1(E) rjw mimm^a!. * * . k * wwss w «:rviJ*jrmt, urbane Ceie Porter. Need we u y more? Sail along on an ocean cruise with t#m* ^M*«r*#^ .a $aa$ y& Ws«*&®w thaw, ^*s (Jr;?m tfait decadeisr decade— the fhirties. Features such pungent Porter mtm»"t m ~v» rXaw"*.1 ' ": G«t 4 »xk Out OJ *ou," "Anything Goes," and "All Through The Night." ffHf 5>tatfef» «sj»»»i» iMi.dea p w c M e t t a i i p v u i e But has become a Til's modern morality play with a cult follow- twg. * e.it*mmf Srtbftewg t-Hmumdfim *as t u m t n n mart's need to worship and society's demands of conformist TWELFTH NIGHT _ Frances E d ^ r d s " ^ 1 ^ ^ " ^ e ^ t h e n e d - Among the losers a " — - - Hamilton and hil w i r e , H n e P r ° ^ r t y i n M e x i c o ' ™* Dr. "Aubrey ton's children, but even this fi W&S godfather to the Han.il- Stone demanded several thou«n£of^ e r n e s s was violated when Put into the building of a «2f d ° l l a r s moFe than Hamilton had SOMETIME, SOMEWHER̂ * 8 e m i : 8 U p e r n i a r k e t - wheeler-dealer expaS^ness^two t h ^ raid-19S0's chronicle of Plicated designs of Stone^fiS^"1?0?8 f e l 1 P re^ t o t h « com- °f federal authorities was broSah? ! tntri^G' a n d the attention A A As far back as 1955 th« ̂ ° b e a r O n the-situation. dad, Cuba, and numerous'friJJST8 e r e c t e d a new home at Trini- linoe T Ct l t ( i n c l u ^ n g Ideline a n ? r T K 6 y W e S t w e r e invi ted to xino Lopez, and Burt and Bettv llZ'll R ° S S ' L i l l i ^ " and Aqui- residP S S C r e t t h a t t h ^ Stones i n ^ r ^ ' name• * few. So i t Spit0 U th° f t h e C O U n ^ ' d S d t O e s t a tolish another ••>(«« i !«g .*» •w i , '^'Hmm <,hm»»fxiXf V, 15 ;« «TtM'. 4 ! -. $10.00 S •Unehe; $34.00 **»»se $25,00 *»u*«eU/Alfiu: $ia.0O • W l * : $15.00 HOW TO OftOSR; Vou m ŷ subscribe to cue Mrw, two series, fir three ieries. PJease till Oui 3he ̂ tltached iorm. indicate s«ries &H& dst£ pfcrerence and mail the htm with yotsr cbwk to Soa Office, Tennessee Williams Fine Arts Center., Flo/tda Keys Community Col- lege. Key West, Fl 33040. You: tickets will be returned feo yew*. If *ou find User you cannot attend on (he day vou have selected, ex- cfejJ5g*5 can 6e made iof an jiEwnale date in iccof4»fice wtih out exchdinge pofky. Simply m ĵJ yoBf ttcfedts with 2 note req&tesfirag an j j ^ rn j i e djJe si Sea*? 43 hours before curtjan Sitss*?, "Ae r?gf«t !lwJ we are yiutbto So nwke cash ref«nais ot £e)efjhone exchirtgs-s. y legal this ^ ^ s JSlSSi f n d i ^ o r at Florida a m e m b er of the r i f r i 3 e A ' e y W e s t c i t i z UwvSet U p b ^ the F l o r i d ^ ? O I t m i i t t ^ . Ironic^ g j in the ^ S S J ? ' t O t h - d thats !—----ra-csr: ^ ; f of his ^ » as 23- to p i c k -Bus.. Zip— HWCS i " * * • * * « , SIRKS C ;bl s^Poeedly on Aerovias ^ is::- tained mechanical trouble, and Stone was obliged to stop over- night at a motel. He did notify the judge and his wife of the sale of the house on South Street. He took off next day as soon as possible, flying out of Key West for the last time. He was in possession of the purchase money. The plane may have been the one he owned privately, which was flown by a special pilot. During a summer vacation in the •very early 1960's, Chief Photographer of The Key West citizen, Don Pinder, went to Nassau in the Bahamas. It was known then •that Stone, if not an actual fugitive, was being investigated for his fast ".deals." Pinder met Stone on Bay Street, Nassau, 'and they had a drink together in a bar. Stone said then he was temporarily living on one of the out islands of the Bahamas. He did not disclose the exact location. THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN the Castro government and the ° United States became more troubled, and, as I9 60 advanced, Americans were in disfavor in Havana. Trinidad, as an outskirt locality, was considered dangerous, so the Stones left for the comparative safety'of the capital. There they operated an antique furniture store on the famed' Prado of Havana, but only for a short time. They retreated to Jamaica, where Lee died in 1963. She had been a beautiful woman, noted for her charm. The day I met her, she was wearing brightly colored ribbons braided into her hair, Mexican style,.and impressed me with her genuine warmth of personality. THERE IS A GAP in the history of the Stones following Lee's demise in 1963. Little or nothing is known of his maneuvers between then and May 1965. It was then that Anne Carleton once more, unexpectedly, encountered the ex-patriate. She was getting ready for a coach tour to Scotland and was standing in line at the American Express in London, England, when she saw Stone. They renewed acquaintances, and he told her that he had been married just the day before to Christine Beakes. The very attractive Christine, widow of Dine Beakes, former law partner of Stone's in years past, was known as the Hibiscus lady, because of the blossoms she wore in her hair. She lived in a house on the waterfront during World War II and was at one time suspected of being an enemy spy. This rumor was un- confirmed and was denied by people who knew her well. But, as usual, this- island was a hotbed of gossip, and Christine never did live down the suspicion. THE NEWLY MARRIEDS were staying with an aristocratic English friend, and were leaving the next day for Spain. Anne told Julius she wanted to speak with her old friend, Christine, and he gave her the telephone number. After a conversation with the bride, Anne went on her tour and the Stones to their new destination. There the communication ceased. Hilario Ramos, Sr., said that the Stones lived in Spain proper for a time, then took up residence on Majorca, a resort island off the Spanish Coast. Within the next two years, wanderlust, perhaps compulsory, took over again, and Stone, presumably accompanied by his second Wife, travelled on toward the East. _The aimed-for destination 'is not know, for in 1967 Julius F. Stone, Jr., died in Australia. DETAILS OP STONE'S DEATH are vague. It was said that he died of a heart attack. The news did not reach Key West until he had been dead for a long time. His only child, a daughter named Julia, who was graduated from Bennington, married twice, and her whereabouts at present are unknown. And so ends the Prince Charming saga, on the other side of the world, far from Stones' homeland, like the central character in the story, Man Without a Country. ring | subscripUtM* 1 w ant subscriptions Cites the return of the classic cotton knit shirt. . pj trunks . . . terry sh bw . . . tennis shorts . , o f •• $m y in the corner or questioned their intel- ligence. If there was one inquiry that ' I must have heard ten thousand times, asked of me and my sisters by my father, ALWAYS said NO, but he continued tip ask this same question for years and I con- sidered this to be in direct conflict with his general philosophy that if you male show- vinists... Let the Leather Loft embellish you in the highest and hottest of style. Everything, and then s o m e - leather or not — forthe mucho macho all-Ameri- can male. See what happiness, not to mention thrills, a little show biz can bring to your life. Turn a few heads with threads that bring out the best in you! • Head & Speedo swimsuits • studded belts • studded leather . u n s t u d d e d | e a t h e r • Boulet&BVD briefs. j o x & s o x . cowboy hats . b o o t s • disco toys . coy &/or clever cards . bedroom toys . m u c h o M k g o [ d • mucho, macho, MORE! NEW YORK- F[RE ISLAND- KEY WEST TURN L.EFT FROM THE MONSTER, AROUND THE CORNER. TO KINO PLAZA Mrs. Biddies CANDY STORE AND K E CREAM PARLOR! Ice Creams Candies in the Old Tradition I ' ' ,f • P 'i ' M 3UCE .1,1,1 XXIJ-E. cornersimonton&front ask a person a question and they answer you, you shouldn't have to ask it again. My father John also preferred a direct answer to his questions, but, as age and awareness crept up on me, I noticed that at times he would ask questions and never wait for a reply: "Haven't I told you that a thousand times?" and "Don't you ever stop and think before you do something?" or "Don't you know a hammer isn't a play- thing?" At those times I would have been more than happy to accommodate him with my perception of a numerical judg- ment pertaining to just how many times he had told me something (and I was sure it was nowhere close to a thousand). But in his mind there existed too fine a line between smart cuteness (which he' detested) and a ready answer I may have. been able to come up with. Generally, I found it less painful to think my an- swers out silently than pipe up with a remark he might deem more worthy of a good clout than, an appreciative ear, THERE WAS A PERIOD of time when my sisters and I all seemed to have great difficulty in staying on the good side of our father. We all attended Harris School, which was only five or six blocks from our house on Dey Street, and that was about the'farthest point we were allowed to go without getting into trouble. But even that caused problems, because at times we would forget about the time, and an innocent game of kick- ball could result in punishment for ar- riving home late. It seemed as if every single day brought yet another disaster. Nobody could go twenty-four hours with- out doing something bad'. I began to wonder if possibly our food had been contaminated by an insidious spy seeking to alter the behavior of three otherwise very good children. I had- seen too many goblets secretly defiled by poison rings • in the glut of B-movies we thrived on. Maybe there was something in the milk. I noticed,that whenever my sister Martha got around a carton of milk, an accident happened. If it was in the afternoon and she wanted a glass of milk THE AQUARIUM Green Turtles Sharks Eels LARGE SELECTION OF Reef Tropical Fish Daily shark feeding 3 pm Also next door... SHELL WAREHOUSE QUARTER OF A MILLION DOLLARS IN SHELLS ON HAND AT ALL TIME SHELLS FROM FLORIDA AND AROUND THE WORLD SPECIMEN SHELLS AVAILABLE MALLORY SQUARE Free Parking and Free Admission For Shell Warehouse to go with her cookies, the carton would slip out of her hands and it would spill all over the floor. If it was in the even- ing, and we were all seated at the table and having dinner, her. elbow would knock her glass and it would run all over the table. Then everybody would have to pick up their plates while my mother ran and got a dishrag' to wip it up. She spilled her milk with such alarming regularity at dinner my father began to keep track, and for seven nights in a row she knocked her milk over. She even got to the point of such distraction that when someone ELSE was pouring a glass for her, she would be clutching the glass firmly with both hands and then cough, and the glass would slide forward and milk would once again find itself- puddling all over our table. My father was beginning to think there was something seriously wrong with Martha, being perhaps cursed with a rare afflic- tion that came on with the dinner hour. AS THE' WINTER SEASON closed in and darkness fell earlier and earlier, my sisters and I wqre acutely aware that Christmas would soon be upon us and that our behavior had better improve. John made no secret of the fact that reward fell most heavily on those that were truly deserving, and I trusted his memory enough to try to grab hold of my fate so that my record could speak for itself come Christmas morning.. Kathryn was doing quite well in hav- ing kept herself either out of his line of vision or out of earshot so that any- thing offensive she may have done went unnoticed. Martha was not having such an easy txme of it, however. Along with her milk disasters, Martha was pos- sessed of spells of memory lapse. It wouldn't have been so bad if she had forgotten how to misbehave, but that would have been asking too much. Martha had forgotten how to listen. John had. a peculiarity of wanting to not only be heard when he talked to one of his child- ren, but to be listened to so carefully that you would never forget what he was telling you. This trait applied especial- HOURS: 6:300 AM to 9:30 PM Country Breakfast Home Made Soup Steaks * Seafood Family Prices The Home of the 100 Cup of Coffee! vr; Treasures;®;' of the Islands -at Fair Prices DAYS INN The Place To Stay at the end of the day 80 Motel Rooms • 35 Apartments fhoni [305 j :2?*£||2 4 7 ly severely to matters concerning; •beha- vior. Martha's behavior seemed'to be getting worse and worse. • \. ONE EVENING IN DECEMBER we were all- waiting for dinner. I was sitting on the floor with a book while John watched the evening news. It_was rather cold and windy outside, and we could hear the pine trees rustling behind our house. Every so often the aurelia trees would slap the side of the house as the wind whipped them back and forth. My mother was in the kitchen making chili, some- thing she considered appropriate for blustery weather. I thought to myself how cozy it was to be inside the house safe and warm, and I was glad I was not a cat or a monkey huddled somewhere in a pile of rags to keep warm. Just then, Martha came running down the stairs in search of a pair of scis- sors, since she was making cut-outs up- stairs in our room. John reminded her not to run in the house and that stairs in particular were meant for walking. Martha slowed down, found her scissors,' and went back upstairs to finish her cut-outs. Perhaps twenty minutes passed. Martha came running down the stairs a second time. John looked up. "Martha, didn't I just tell you not to run down the stairs?" "Well...uh, I guess you did..." "What do you mean you guess I did? Did I or didn't I?" . "You did just tell me not to run down the stairs." , "Well, if I just told you not to run down the stairs, why did you just run down the- stairs anyway?" . "I forgot." "Oh. You forgot, did you? Well, I'm going to help you remember the next time not to. run down the stairs. Now you can go to the top of the stairs and walk down them. And when you get to the top — don't stop — turn right around and walk down them again." "But how long do I have to do that?" "Until I tell you to stop, that's how long you have to do that. Now get started." 3852 N. Roosevelt Blvd. Key^West, Florida 33040 OPEN FOR DINNER Monday - Sunday 6:00 • 11:00 48 I "THOUGHT THIS to be very unusual, and I put.my book down to watch Martha go up, and down- the stairs. I must say that She took it like a little soldier and looked straight ahead on her trips down the stairs, but I knew that when she got to the top where he couldn•t see her, she probably made ungodly faces and mouthed unspoken comments. What made it even more interesting was that each time she got to the bottom of the stairs she thought it was to be her last trip, but John kept.his eye on the tele- vision and uttered the word "again" at her, except that he broke it up into two very distinct words: "A" and "gain," which made it very funny to me. I put my book up to my face and snickered with a wet hiss, although I didn't wish to be noticed. John noticed. "So you think this is happy-time, do you? You think this is funny? How ., would you like to join your sister on the stairs?" I immediately found no humor in this situation and shut up. After a few more trips slowly up and down the stairs, Martha finished her lesson in stair- walking and was allowed to resume her previous business. A short time later we were called to dinner by our mother. • OUR DINNER1TABLE was really a long door that my father put iron legs on. He sat at the end of the table, Martha and I sat on one side, and my mother and my older sister, Kathryn, sat on the other side. I sat closest to my father, which "put Martha a little out of his direct sight. My mother served up the chili in bowls, and, since it was very hot to begin with, the bowls made it stay hot all the longer. This didn't bother me, because I knew 'enough to start eating from around the edge where it was at least a few degrees cooler. Martha was still in a very sullen mood from her many trips up and down the stairs and complained that her chili was too hot to eat. John made a few comments on the poor and starving child- ren of Africa and that she had better be damn grateful that she had anything at all to eat. This further darkened her state of mind, and she put her elbow up to rest her head on her hand while her I TURNED TO LOOK at Martha, who was oblivious to the fact that she was being watched. And there she sat with her head in one hand and her hair dangling over her chili bowl. But that was not Jane Goodall's National Geographic Spec- ials where the ape makes a primitive , sponge out of crushed leaves, but John His 'voice rose to an alarming pitch. I thought she was going to be killed on the spot. chili cooled enough to eat. I must have been leaning forward and very interested in my supper, because when I leaned back in my chair I heard John gasp. Evidently he was speechless. the worst of it. Martha was using .her other hand to make good use of her dangling strands by DIPPING them into her chili and sucking the ends! I thought it was quite similar to one of Also, two outstanding commercial properties: Mesa's Nursery, Virginia St., features a 90 X 163 foot lot, fully fenced with chain link, good storage and supply facilities, and office.with Vi-bath and kitchen. $30,000 inventory included in $200,000 price. Only 2 9 % down, owner financing available. *«?»*• • f-: was banished from the table. .But not >•'!•• before she was asked a lot of •questions'.•.'.> for which she gave no answer: • '•<>.- ->;;; "IS THAT WHAT YOU THINK HAIR IS FOR?- WHAT ARE YOU AN ANIMAL? WHERE -WERE YOUi RAISED -,- OUT IN THE YARD? DO YOU WANT .< EVERYBODY TO EAT LIKE THAT? DO YOU THINK THAT'S CUTE OR SOMETHING?" I never heard so many questions in my life, and whil'e I was trying to think up what I would have said if they asked me any of those questions, my mother went and found the scissors. And after we all had finished dinner, Martha , was relieved of some of her lengthy eating implement. Christmas looked like it was a long way off. did. not see any hereditary ..genius in this feat at ALL. "WHAT IN HELL ARE YOU DOING MARTHA!" MARTHA WAS DUMBSTRUCK. I don't think she realized she was doing anything at all anyway. She couldn't answer. My THE GREATEST EVEN! 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High polymer film supertweeter Frequency Range: 35-25.000HZ Sensi- tivity: 9 idB/w (1m) Nominal Input Power: 4OW Amplifier Power Range: 20—100W Reg. 36O°°Cpair) Sale 249^ SE-SO5 : STEREO HEADPHONES Reg. $35°° Sale 31 "7SO NOW YOU HAVE A CHOICE STORE HOURS 10 A.M. TO 6 P.M. Marathon: 11400 Highway 1,-Town Square Mall 743-J138 KEY WEST: 117 Fitzpalrlck, Kino Plaza 29.'J.4 HIOMITB FRIDAY AND SATURDAY Waterfront Playhouse, Mallory Square Admission 83.00 Friday & Saturday 83.50 Season Subscription 312.00 Box Office Open 11 am to 4 pm Daily except Sunday • Telephone 894-5015 NOW OPEN THE NEW FOOD SHOPPE OF KEY WEST 'Home of the Key Kake On Whitehead St. at Truman Ave Near the Hemingway House BREAKFAST 99$ Breakfasts, Lunches, Dinners $1.10 Conch Chowder, Conch Fritters,Chili, Soups Sandwiches, Homemade Key Lime Pie, Pina Colada • Breyer's Ice Cream Open 6AM - 7 days - Limited Space for Sit Down Diners Sharon & Frank Klesh 1 ou»

1979-12 Solares Hill , Vol. IV No. XI, December 1979

Publication

Florida Keys History Center

Name/Title

Collection