Spontaneous Karaoke

 So last night I met Stu's staff Carla and Amanda -- whenever we settle a case, Paul and I thank them with a bonus check and typically lunch. I haven't been going to Brickell much lately, on account of the traffic is untenable and I'm old, and so asked the two Kendall residents if maybe we could meet at Captain's Tavern. They don't like fish -- how about Fox's? Well twist my arm -- one of my favorite places.

I ubered over, lest I be constrained in drinking. They did the same from their houses -- they're next door neighbors just west of Dadeland. They sat and we drank and ate, and caught up on matters firm related and otherwise. We go back quite a ways.

It was a pretty good crowd for a Wednesday, to borrow from Billy Joel, and the sound system was playing 70s and 80s, and as we all drank more and more, everyone was digging the music.

At the booth next to ours, a gorgeous young woman was sitting with her Mom, and either her OTHER Mom of Mom's female partner. Ah -- these new days...

The booths are the red naugahyde of days of old -- I always joke that I thought Naugas were extinct, and it must have been tough to get the material. I also tell the server, EVERY TIME, that Fox's was where I had my first martini, courtesy of Ed, Mike's Dad and a life mentor to me, who asked if I was a gin or vodka man. I was neither -- never had a martini, but since Ed was a vodka man, I became one, and have served in that proud army for 40 years now.

We shared some apps, including the famous thumb bits, which are beef chunks that look like thumbs on garlic toast. And we drank -- not sparingly.

The three women were celebrating the young one's recent graduation from a Music College in Boston, and they were joyous.

All of a sudden, the Eagles' "Hotel California" came on, and EVERYONE in the bar sang along. It was delightful -- a karaoke breaking out without the words on a screen. After it was done, we all applauded ourselves. The next song was Bon Jovi, and all of the women remarked how hot he was. I told Amanda and Carla that he is a regular with his wife at Casa Juancho, the famous paella place in Little Havana -- I saw him there. Both planned to make trips in hopes of getting a glimpse -- and were disappointed that I didn't go up to him. Nah, I said -- if it was Springsteen I would have -- Bon Jovi, not so much.

We chatted with the 3 celebrants. As the frustrated professor, I asked if they knew where Hotel California, the song and album, were recorded. LA, they guessed wrong. It was right here, in Miami at Criteria. The young music school grad said she would never forget that.

It was 10 or so, and we each left in our Ubers. I called D2 back -- she and D1 had called -- D1 on FaceTime, so Carla and Amanda got to see the grandsons. D2 and I talked about an upcoming Fall wedding in LA -- I think it will be a partial family trip. D2 joked that I always make things sound "SO FUN," which was D1's complaint as a little girl when I would get her to go on errands to places like Home Depot with me, by promising Dairy Queen or Toys R Us at the end of the trip.

I got dropped off at the gate, and as I walked up the gravel path, Wifey was turning in -- home from a mah jonng session in West Kendall. Luckily I avoided getting run over, and we compared our evenings.

It was a nice Wednesday night.