full circle................. from P

"He said, I ate the last mango in Paris, took the last plane out of Saigon, took the first fast boat to China, and Jimmy there's still so much to be done."

The legend of Captain Tony is alive and well in Key West. Tony Tarracino was a shrimper, gambler, charter boat captain, gunrunner, mayor of Key West for two years, hard drinker, possibly a spy, a romantic, and father of 13 children (some say by as many as 8 different women). My education about Captain Tony began when we toured Ernest Hemingway's home place. Hemingway spent many afternoons at a little bar known as Sloppy Joe's here on the then sparsely populated island. The bar's owner was the adventurous man's man around town, Captain Tony. Many people think that several of Ernie's later literary characters were modeled around, or at least inspired by Captain Tony. One day Hemingway was making his walk over to Sloppy Joe's but found all the furniture being thrown out into the street, including the kitchen fixtures, toilets, and all. Apparently Cap't Tony had a spirited disagreement with the landlord and decided on the spot to move the bar somewhere else. Ernie asked Tony if he could have the urinal laying out on the sidewalk. That urinal became a decorated fixture on the Hemingway estate, and is still currently the communal watering dish for all the cats.

Fast forward thirty years. Captain Tony's Saloon is down the street and around the corner from Sloppy Joe's (now owned by ... who cares?). One of the many kids who played guitar and sang for tips at Captain Tony's Saloon was an adventurer of sorts himself. Tony took a liking to him and became a father-like figure, inspiring him to sing about the islands and to take some chances himself. The kid sang at the Saloon for $10 and three Budweisers per night. Of course, that was Jimmy Buffett. Now while you are drinking a beer at Captain Tony's you can still get a feel for the spirits of old Key West that died with Capt Tony. Broken tile, semi-dirt floor. A "Tony Tarracino for Mayor" sign. A huge Chinese Fig tree growing right through the ceiling. No kitsch. A basic band stand, a pool table, a damp earthy smell. A feeling. I wanted to sit there all night. I came back the next day and looked around some more.

Even though it was one of my favorites, I never really understood the song "Last Mango in Paris." Now I do. There is still so much to be done. Here's to you Captain Tony.