friends in high places

 Show me a high place and I'm goin' up there!

 

In New York. . .
The Empire State Building, the World Trade Center,
the Statue of Liberty.

In Key West, (where stuff isn't half that high). . .
the look-out tower over the shipwreck museum, the lighthouse and the La Concha Hotel.

I don't have a problem with heights (although before I start moving up, my progressive lens glasses have to come off - somehow they scramble my sense of balance).
And I don't have a fear of falling but it's that sudden stop at the bottom that bugs me a bit.

A couple of weeks ago, I was coming away from a lunch date at Finnegan's Wake Irish Pub (really good eats) on the corner of James Street and Grinnell and the multi-level parking lot across the street grabbed my eye. I don't remember how many levels it is (maybe 4 or 5) and it's surely not the highest height in Key West but, the top lot was "up there" and I had to go have a look; so off came my glasses, I hung 'em over the collar of the Green Parrot T-shirt I was wearing and I started climbing stairs.

What I found when I got up top of that high place were my two old friends; the broad blue sky and a view of the horizon.

 Looking East

Looking West

at the end of the day

I'm guessing it was two years after I came to live in Key West before I saw my first proper sunset, (and by proper I mean, lounging out on the Gulf shore for the hour or two it takes to watch the day turns to dusk as the sun sinks into the sea).

You see, the second or third thing I did when I got to town was land a job in the at the Citizen (and for my out-of-towner readers, that's our local daily newspaper, the Key West Citizen).
Anyway the gig was from 4pm - 12am so, I'd be inside while the sun took it's ride.


After I'd finally freed myself of that mess I thought, "living in Key West and not seeing sunsets was as take it all for granted as living in New York City and not visiting the Statue of Liberty." So from every angle I could think of: Mallory Square, Fort Zach, Sunset Key or a barstool at Schooner Wharf. . .
I filled my head with sunsets.
"It's a beautiful time of day", I thought, "small wonder all these folks come down to see it."

Ever since I've made it a point, at least once or twice a week,
to find my way to the west edge of our island
at the end of the day.

at the end of the day

I'm guessing it was two years after I came to live in Key West before I saw my first proper sunset, (and by proper I mean, lounging out on the Gulf shore for the hour or two it takes to watch the day turn to dusk as the sun sinks into the sea).

You see, the second or third thing I did when I got to town was land a job in the at the Citizen (and for my out-of-towner readers, that's our local daily newspaper, the Key West Citizen). Anyway the gig was from 4pm - 12am so, I'd be inside while the sun took it's ride.


After I'd finally freed myself of that mess I thought, "living in Key West and not seeing sunsets was as take it all for granted as living in New York City and not visiting the Statue of Liberty." So from every angle I could think of: Mallory Square, Fort Zach, Sunset Key or a barstool at Schooner Wharf. . . I filled my head with sunsets.
"It's a beautiful time of day", I thought, "small wonder all these folks come down to see it."

Ever since I've made it a point, at least once or twice a week, to find my way to the west edge of our island at the end of the day.


click the cartoon to enlarge