Horseshoe Beach, Florida. 14 February 2018. What a most beautiful day today is.......the sun out.....the wind blowing about 5 mph directly from the west. Bringing the cool......72 F sea air, and negative ozone that makes this air so exhilarating, and wonderful, to me as I sit on my balcony this most glorious day in paradise......the best Florida has to offer. And as I sat, breathing in this 'manna' from God, with my wonder dog, Quinn..........I heard the buzz from a single engine prop plane. The wonderful sound of the prop cutting the air, and the melodious sound from the engine's exhaust, made me so thankful to be alive this wonderful Valentines day. And as I continued to listen to this prescription for good health, and stress relief, I suddenly decided to ring up Peter Stark, my personal pilot, and see if he would like to take the TBM 850 (my new turboprop plane) for a run up to Savanna, Georgia, for lunch. The phone call went straight to...message. Crap. Then I rang up Linda Benton, my part-time love interest......to see if she would like to tag along. But just like Pete's phone........straight to message. My feeling of total euphoria was suddenly coming down for a crash landing.

James, my cook and butler, was still away on family matters in Ohio. And I had not had a home-cooked meal in over a week, and my supply of fresh fruit now consisted of one over ripe banana, and two navel oranges.....turning green......with a fuzzy white coat....in a bowl on the glass top stove. So then an there I decided to get into the V12 Aston Martin Vantage, and head to the produce stand about halfway between Horseshoe Beach, and Gainsville. And after putting Quinn in his cage on the balcony, I cranked up the Vantage, and was heading to the produce stand......at speed.

Upon getting to "Gilberts Produce", and as I wandered up and down the isles of fruits and produce, I came upon the cutest woman I have seen in a while. She was dressed in white, cutoff shorts, and flip flops. All five foot 2 inches of her.......with short, sandy brown hair.....a light sprinkling of freckles.....blue eyes......and small pouty, well shaped, lips. I could not hold back. I engaged her in conversation, and she said that her name was Dotty. And that she was on vacation in Old Town.....for several more days. That she was visiting her aged mother, and was in need of some fresh fruit at her motel room. We talked the usual small talk, and suddenly I got the urge to kiss her beautiful, small, pink gloss covered, pouty, lips. And rather than her pulling away..... she moved closer........and our tongues met, and suddenly.........I thought that maybe we should move this public encounter to a more private place. And I said, "Dotty. Lets get some more fruits, and go to your motel, and make a big salad." And once again we embraced and kissed like we were at the high school prom, and Dotty said, "That is just what, I was thinking." "Now just who are you anyway?" "Long story, but you can call me Howard." And my hands were now grasping hers, and we were looking longingly into each others eyes. And she remarked, "I saw you drive in......in that beautiful car.....and I wondered just who around here would have such a fabulous vehicle?" "I had made up my mind when I saw you exit your vehicle to talk with you, and maybe let you visit my room at the motel."
I am here from Dallas, and bored to distraction." And then I let slip with the obvious......'If we visit your motel room maybe you will really be bored to distraction." And after paying for our produce, I followed Dotty back to her room at the Cadillac Motel in Old Town.

My two hours at the Cadillac Motel were were most memorable for sure. Dotty knew a few positions that even the most experienced Yoga devotee would have had difficulty maneuvering. But all in all I have a new respect for Texas girls. And as I drove back to my house at Horseshoe Beach, I once again rang up Pete Stark.....this time getting him on the third ring. "Pete" "Howard, here." "How about fueling up the plane and heading to Savanna for a lunch at the Olde Pink House?" Pete replied that he was washing the plane as we spoke, and would put in another 50 gallons or so of fuel for the trip. That he would be ready in about an hour. So, I again rang up Linda. And she answered on the third ring also. She said that she was in Gainsville getting her nails done, and that a late lunch in Savanna would be a 'Capitol' idea....if we could stay over. But I told her that with James away, I had no one to look after Quinn.......and she said for me to bring him along. So back home I went, and with Quinn in tow, headed to the Gainsville airport. When I arrived at the airport Pete had the 850 TBM out and ready. And we waited another half hour for Linda to arrive. And arrive she did. She had several boxes of clothing she had just purchased.........at Victoria's Secret out on Newberry Road. It looked like this stay-over in Savanna was going to be very interesting. And after stowing away her new purchases.......Linda asked if we had reservations, or if she should call the Olde Pink House? So Linda called The Pink House for a 4 pm reservation. And Pete started up the engine, and off we flew. white outfits looking sexy and sassy

The flight was uneventful.........only that Pete said that he could not stay over with us after the late lunch. That he needed to be in Gainsville early the next day for jury duty. Linda and I decided that we, and Quinn, would rent a car and stay over, and drive back to Horseshoe Beach when we wanted to return.....and I said, "at the Savannah Marriott Riverfront. Love the view and the location." But Linda said that this was just too much of the same old.....that she did not buy new surprises from Victoria's Secret to show them off at the Marriott. She said that she wanted to try the The Bohemia Hotel on Bay Street....not on the river, but with a top floor lounge with live music, and a view of not only the river, but the entire riverfront area. And so she made reservations at the Bohemia with a charge of $100 extra for wonder dog, Quinn. We would take a taxi to the hotel and pick up a rental car....and then to The Olde Pink House for the late lunch, which by now would be an early dinner. And things went as planned. The meal at The Olde Pink House was outstanding. Linda and Pete had the pork tenderloin with Bourbon sause and sweet potato fries. I had the Iceberg wedge with blue cheese dressing. A diet coke with cherry juice.

We caught a taxi back to the Bohemian hotel....and Pete went directly to the airport to take the 850 TBM home. And there was a Jeep rental waiting for Linda and I, and I had to sign for it and, I left it in the care of the valet service. We went back to our room...........on the ground floor........makes it easy to walk the dog.........and I began to look through the boxes of things Linda had purchased in Gainsville. She told me to stop looking, and wait till later when it was time for bed.....that we could, now, go up to the rooftop and watch the night move in over the river. And we were too early for the music, but the view of the night moving across the sky was spectacular. The red night sky was ablaze.......and I thought the old saying......"red sky's at night..........a sailors delight". And as I sat looking out over the river.........with Linda leaning on my shoulder, I got a funny little feeling about my encounter with Dotty at the Cadillac motel earlier.

Linda had some wine drink, and I had a ginger ale. And we held hands as the cool night air began to settle in. And we looked at each other, and I gave her a gentle kiss, and a squeeze of her hand. It was so nice to be able to do what we were doing. No worry about having to go to a job in the morning, or watching some 24 hour news show. Savanna was now at the time of the day where it was just the lull before the storm. Soon the night people would be out in full force, and the special reflective mood would be beset by the coming noise level......and the quiet reflections would suddenly be so intense that we would go down to our room, and watch one of the boring , 24 hour, news shows.......and then there would also be Linda's Victoria's Secret fashion show........that would turn into a night of unbelievable passion. Linda is one well stacked 40, something, year old. I should be more appreciative of her charms, and her Conservative mind.

And I walked Quinn, and turned the air on cool, and waited for Linda to model her 'see through' night gown. And her perky and full breasts were a sight for any sailor of life. And then I began to think about Dr. Pangloss....and his theory that we live in the best of all times. And that everything happens for the best. (Candide. Voltaire). And I sure hope that this Dotty was not usually as promiscuous as she was with me...........I would hate to have to tell Linda that I had gotten a 'surprise' from some woman I had met at "Gilbert's Produce" stand.....while purchasing organic veggies so that I would have a healthy body. Yikes. I will just increase my vitamin C, and follow the advice of Dr. Pangloss.

And what a wonderful night I had. I thought several times that I was about to die. Linda is a most talented girl. I will be more attentive, and take the extra vitamin C. Thank goodness Valentines Day only comes once a year.
Lord Howard Hurts.