A Day of Hookey With Mirta

Wifey's bad back has stopped rearing its ugly head, and so she's taken her second trip: 8 days to the ATL to visit Edna. Friday I was going to head to the office, but my sister of another mother Mirta called --was I free for lunch? I was. She's getting ready to begin intense study for her nursing boards, and wanted a break. Since my partner Paul was working hus usual 50 hour week, and I knew all things business were well taken care of, I decided to play hookey. Mirta came over, and we conspired. Well -- there may be a better place for hookey than the Florida Keys, but if there is, I don't know it. Se we took Wifey's little girle Lexus, since ut has a sunroof, and headed South. Mirta had never been to Alabama Jack's, the shanty on Card Sound Road, and I pulled it. The waitress, a typical Homestead/Upper Keys lady --blonde, with leathery skin -- probably VERY hot in the 80s but married the wrong guy or guys -- greeted us. I told her it was Mirta's first time. No problem, honey, she said -- she lived in Homestead her whole life (I AM good, sometimes) and only came to Alabama JAcks 2 years ago -- to apply for a job. We ate conch fritters, conch chowder, peel and ear shrimp, and a couple of fish sandwiches. From there I showed Mirta the best view in the Keys -- the top of the Card Sound bridge, and we drove a few miles down US 1. I pulled into a bayside place, and we sat at the water --drinking pina coladas. Mirta's had a 151 floater ---mine was regular. We stared at the water and talked -- mostly about my late mother. Mirta cared for her greatly during her time at the nursing home -- and Mirta told me how much Sunny taught her -- about sticking to the positve, and avoiding drama and the negative. From there, we headed back to Villa Wifey, and took the strange dog for a walk. My neighbor Ellen, the local yenta, drove past, and shouted hello. Mirta noted she thought I was with Wifey... We talked some more, and then I got a text from Vince -- he was canceling our dinner meeting, as he was doing some late, eemergency boob job repairs. So Mirta and I headed my local Thai place -- it was packed. Over king of the sea soup and pad thai, we talked more -- about life, kids, and careers. And then she left, and I reflected how great it is to spend a day with a great froend who is a woman -- with none of the complications that accompany relationships with physical components. In other words: a terrific sister. Today Vince is due over to watch the Canes try to save their season -- they play at Duke. Vince got a new Harley, and Mirta wants a ride -- one of the things on her bucket list. Since Vince is a brother, and Mirta a sister -- they're related, too. She'll get her Harley ride, and I appreciate her company in Wifey's girlie Lexus. It was a damn fine day.