The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1943-06-19
TODAY ! SAW
By DELIGHTS YOUNG


first time the other eventide, the
old Buick, as well as ourself) was
darned near ready to fall apart.
Wed had long. tough drive, al
belt merry one. We jounced over
patches of road that would have
put Teddy Roosevelt's Rough
Riders to shame; we journeyed
over modern highway smooth as
the blue waters that sparkled on
either side effits We bought warm
Cocacolas and stale sandwiches
from a roadside stand where a
hard-bittep proprietor grouched
because we didn't like 'em that
way. We had frosty glasses of
fresh fruit juice and delicious
fat shrimp under a flamboyantly
blossomed Poinciana tree where a
sweet-faced old lady served us.
She had, she replied to gentle
questioning, watched the tide OF
men ebb and flow from the island
ever since the building of the
Jefferson Hotel, forty years ago.
She plucked ripe mangos from a
tree and gave them to us as we
left.
As we drove further on, the
Buicketta began to huff and puff
for lack of water. Hesitating to
ask for free service, but not want
ing her to blow her topper right
there on the highway, we pulled
into filling station that seemed
TO be open. We stopped, sat there.
Waited. Eventually stringy-
looking young man with maya
zipe inahis hand, stuck his head
through the door.
somethin'?"
hofYes, please. We'd like to get
IN little water"
s'What else?"
That's all, just a little water"
"Yeh? Well, we amt got none.
He wheeled, raised his maya
zine and vanished back inside,
The Buick was hot and by now
we were too-under the collar.
Jumping out of the car, we raced
across the gas pump islands and
into the building.
Listen"
Then our eyes spied large bas-
ket of eggs sitting on country
beside oil cans, dirty rags and
miscellaneous junk and our APP
preach changed. They were such
fargo, white eggs, we remarked.
Were they yard-fresh? were they
for sale? They werel Oh, yes,
we'd love to buy dozen. :. And
by-the-by, could we please get
little water? That was fine, very
fine, and so sporting of him, too.
We paid for the eggs tipped him
for the water and came on in to
the City.
After checking in at the hotel
and giving up the collected CRIME
of travel to the refreshing waters
of needle shower, we donned
fresh garb and idled down into the
lobby. Near the radio a group of
soldiers were laughing and chat
ting. All except one youngster
who sat quietly listening to the
music. Back Home Again In In
diana. The haunting melody came
softly over the ether The lobby
was cool, but the boy seemed to
be warm for he kept blotting per-
SEPARATION from his face. Then sud-
denly we understood, 1t wasn't
beads of sweat that he was drying.
but the silent, salty tears of home
sickness.
We saw many things of inter-
est that day and night and later
spoke of some of them 10 the
management.
ut takes stranger TO see EN-,
man," he said. "Key Westers see
them, too, suppose, but they
don't register the same once they
become so familiar, Why don't
you put them onIpaper? We ma
tives. asiwellI as the newly arrived,
would iiketo hear about them"
Vie said I'VE would be glad to.
ifuthelreaders of The Key West
Citizen would enjoy them. But
right here, let it be reported that
there has beenlno recurrence of
the filling station trouble, in Key
West. We found water--and food
plentiful, people pleasant, hotel
rooms readily available and once
out of the sun and into the shade,
the breezes cool and constant.