Taking the Long Way Home

I visited very old Mom alone today, since Wifey was attending the Dalai Lama appearance at the U. I had seen His Holiness years ago at FIU, and didn't understand a word he said, though I DID leave the arena with eternal consciousness...

Anyway, Wifey wanted to go, so I asked some folks at Religious Studies for tickets, and Wifey attended with some friends. She was underwhelmed, although she ALSO received eternal consciousness. When she came home, the dogs immediately looked intently at her and rolled over...

Mom was in good spirits. I took her to the Grammercy Deli, and we chatted. She came out with several non sequiters, and I just smiled and nodded. I bought her a whole smoked whitefish to take home, and that excited her. Chicks dig me.

I left Delray around 130, and thought I'd go to the beach there, to maybe talk with my father's spirit. As I neared A1A at Linton Boulevard, it started to rain, so I turned south and decided to reprise a time wasting trick I first employed in college: returning from Delray to Miami via A1A.

I hadn't been through that part of Boca in probably 30 years. I had forgotten how monotonous it was. And, the two public beach parks were closed, according to the sign, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. So, if someone wants to go to a public beach in Boca Raton mid week, they're out of luck!

As soon as I crossed into Broward, there were fewer high rises, and more public access. I thought about stopping, but kept going south, at 35 miles per hour. The number of beachside motels and hotels in North Broward is astounding. And, as my father would have noted, somehow they all stay in business...

After a barely changing landscape, I turned West on Atlantic Boulevard in Pompano, and headed to I-95. I no longer had the patience to go the whole way back to Miami Dade.

It became clear again why Miami Beach still draws so many folks. You can actually go to the beach there, even if you're not staying in a hotel! What a concept.

I remember once, after my father died, and I had returned to college for my senior year, pulling the A1A stunt. I was in no rush to see my recently widowed mother, and took the 3 hour trip instead of the 1 hour one.

I stopped at Boston's in Delray, and had a beer or two before heading to Mom's condo. That was 28 years ago, and I'm still visiting the widow there.

I arrived home and fed my fish. I wonder how much longer I'll be visiting Delray Beach.