Downtown Key West

Monday morning (tax day!) we woke up refreshed and ready to face the day because we remembered that during RV orientation, Dennis told us we could always turn on the fan to drown out any outside noise.  And it works on roosters, too!  With the fans humming happily in the background all night we didn’t hear a single cock-a-doodle-do and that made me want to call Dennis and offer him any lottery winnings I may receive in the future.

We left the dogs well fed, well walked and in the AC and hopped into a cab driven by Helio (Key West born and bred, he told us more than once) to head downtown.  He gave us several good places to start but we opted for the Hemmingway House and I’m so glad we did.  We took the 30 minute guided tour and it was a gorgeous day to hear all about an incredibly talented writer who drank too much and ultimately committed suicide.  Just kidding!  Well, I mean that stuff happened but the tour was great.

As you may know, the Hemmingway house is famous for its six toed cats.  Six toed cats, back in the day, were considered to be good luck and Hemmingway got one as a gift from a famous person whom I’ve already forgotten.  It reproduced and now out of 54 cats on the property, 60% of them have six toes.  They’re all named for someone famous:  Betty Grable, Marilyn Monroe, Errol Flynn, Groucho Marx.  Of course I had to get some pictures of the cats.

We each bought a book in the shop (Dave got “A Farewell to Arms” and I got a book of Hemmingway’s short stories) and walked up and down Duval, seeing all the people and places that make Key West so popular.  We even made it to the southernmost tip of the United States and when I took a selfie of us there, I had to admit that it looks pretty much like a selfie I would have taken any place else.  But trust me – we’re on the southernmost tip of the United States.

I had a delicious mahi mahi sandwich and Dave had a chili shrimp wrap at a quaint little café called Mangos where we watched people go by and tried to figure out what each person’s story was.  Why is that person dragging a suitcase down the street?  Did a bus drop her off too far from her bed and breakfast?  Why is that person with a group that he looks like he couldn’t possibly be part of?  Is he a friend?  A close walker?  If you’re wondering how we sometimes pass the time with each other at a restaurant, now you know.

Do you know what they have tons of in downtown Key West?  CHICKENS AND ROOSTERS.  You can’t throw a rock in any direction without hitting a freaking chicken!  What is it with this place?  And you can buy mugs or t-shirts or coasters or silly signs with chickens and roosters on them.  I swear I almost broke down and bought a rooster mug but I just bought a book of Hemmingway short stories and that was my souvenir budget for the whole trip.

The best part of the afternoon was visiting Mallory Square!  What are the odds?!  I had Dave take my picture under a few Mallory Square signs so I could pick the best one to send my sweet daughter – here are two of them.

I tried very hard to find a Mallory Square t-shirt but they truly dropped the ball on that one.  So let me get this straight – I can buy a shirt with a stupid rooster on it but I can’t buy one touting the wonders of Mallory Square?  This town needs a new marketing director.

After we’d been gone for a few hours we knew it was time to head back so we called Helio again.  He was a great cab driver and prompt and friendly so why not give him the business.  He was glad to see us again and we were chatting away about our afternoon when he stopped at a pedestrian crossing to let a woman walk her bike across the very busy highway.

And then we got hit.  Hard.  By the car behind us.

It happened so freaking fast.  And I heard Helio say, “Oh you’re just gonna keep coming!” and Dave and I both thought he meant the traffic on the opposite side of the road (which wasn’t stopping for the pedestrian) but he meant the elderly woman behind us who didn’t even tap the brake.  Full force she slammed into the car and my head snapped all the way back and so did Dave’s and I was stunned.

In all the ensuing confusion, Helio was apologetic and efficient and got us another cab to take us home but he never got our names or information.  And we were too stunned to know what the heck to do.  It’s been several days now as I write this and in retrospect, it wasn’t a great experience but it wasn’t life changing either.  Yes, our necks hurt for a day or two but mostly it just felt like I slept on it wrong.  Nothing permanent.

However, the accident did rattle me for the rest of the day (though true to his personality Dave was calm and collected and mostly just concerned for me) and we decided that instead of leaving the next morning, Tuesday, we’d stay another night.  We are both so glad we did.  We spent the rest of Monday  reading Hemmingway, going for a swim in the campground pool and quietly reflecting in our own ways.  I tend to go the “what if” route and get whipped up about what might have happened but I realize that’s counterproductive so I’m working on that.

For a special treat that night we moved the bedroom tv outside and put it on our table!  Seems silly but it was fun to be outside and watching some bad antenna tv after a crazy day.

Tuesday was our bonus day at Boyd’s in Key West and we spent it quietly and peacefully.  Dave worked on the radio in the cab of the RV (it hasn’t worked since we left Austin and he had the time to look into various fuses), I blogged and read short stories, and we washed the runner rug that goes in front of the sink because one of the dogs tinkled on it a few days ago and we stuffed it in an under compartment until we could wash it.  See?  Traveling with elderly dogs is 97% fun and 3% tinkle where it shouldn’t be.

Dave also spent a good portion of the day trying to book us in our next few destinations.  Now that it’s spring and since the coming weekend is Easter, places are booked and harder to find.  He’s very good at this particular aspect of our travel and I’m grateful he takes that on.  I have very little patience for that type thing – and I'd wash tinkle off a runner all day to avoid it.

As a final night indulgence, we went to an Italian restaurant within walking distance of the campground called – what else? – Roostica’s.  Yep.  Named for a rooster.  I ordered a French Kiss and Dave ordered a Gypsy’s Soul and these are what fancy drinks in Key West look like:

And here’s what we look like after having the fancy drinks:

Of course we had key lime pie once more and swore to get back on the healthy eating plan as soon as we leave.  However if we’re in a taxi accident, all bets are off.  Bring on the pie.