Adventures

Tuesday as I got off work, I was rejoicing. Wednesday and Thursday off, what could I do?! Possibilities. I needed a break from life, as you can tell at least in part from the things I've shared on here. I asked my aunt about visiting her up in Orlando, but this week didn't work for her. So, I decided to go to Key West. Spend as little money as possible. $20 in gas and then just what food I needed. I would sleep in my car, so no money required there.
I had a late start so I ended up sleeping just south of Islamorada, but this was because I had spent the day with my kiteboarding friends, more specifically with Marius. We had all gone to Crandon Park, Marius had gone off on his skateboard and returned with fresh coconuts. We broke them open and drank the water and ate the insides. My first time. It was amazing. It was decided that we should go back to where he found these coconuts and grab some more to bring home with us. So he and I embarked on our quest. We returned laughing, with 9 more!  When we all returned to the kitehouse, Brandon and Ayyoub left and Marius and I opened more coconuts and enjoyed the contents. When we parted ways I made my way south. Absolutely exhausted from my long day, I stopped to sleep. I rarely sleep past 6 am on my days off work because my body is so accustomed to waking at 4:45 to go to work. Therefore I was totally surprised when I didn't wake up the next day until after 8. The morning was beautiful and I got out of the car to take some pictures of the water and sunlight before continuing my journey. My time was not my own at this point though, friends were needing to talk about the problems going on in their lives- so I was on the phone all the way to key west. By the time I got to my beach, I had no desire to do anything but be lazy. There was nothing I needed to accomplish, no time frame, so I went to sit on the swings in the park. Eventually I went to go change into a bathing suit just in case the water was warm enough to swim- and get ready for the day.
I walked the 2 miles to downtown, it wasn't quite lunch time and it was still pretty quiet all around town. A few bars had musicians setting up and starting to play. I stopped to listen occasionally as I strolled. Eventually, I stopped to eat. A man sat down near me and decided we should be friends so we talked about life, key west, and food. :) I meandered back towards the beach, the temperature had risen by this point and I was hoping for a swim, but if not, a nap on the beach was sounding ideal. I had strolled through some art galleries and some pictures had made me a little more emotional than I wanted to deal with. A girl standing on the edge of a stormy sea- entirely black and white- she has just let go of a heart shaped balloon and it is sailing off in color - never to return.
I slept at the beach, and then I went back across the street and put my blanket out in the grass of the park and relaxed. I talked to more friends. We discussed wanting and getting things and how just because you want something/someone the time for that is not right sometimes. Just because your kid wants icecream right before bed, doesn't mean he should have it, right? :p
The sun started setting, so I put my blanket away and headed for the pier. Several solid sunset shots later, I headed back into town.
I saw several interesting characters, heard lots of live music, random laughter with strangers... and then a connection. It happened quite randomly as connections tend to do. I was walking past a small booth with leather bound books when the tender asked me please look at his books. I nearly refused, but then I smiled and went to look. He gave me his schpeal on how he traveled and wrote these books. Poetry, thoughts, mostly true stories of love and loss. The whimsy was profound. But, I had no money to spare on a book,  though naturally I would love to read them all.  There were two others guys there hitting on me and trying to get me to buy this mans' books. So I laughed at them and apologized once again to the author and left - continuing my way into town. Later I returned the same way, and he was alone now. I stopped to talk. We exchanged part of our life stories. I watched as people turned down his books again and again. Strangely with the excuse that they don't read. Who knew reading was a dying art.  The words to describe the connection are escaping me at the moment. I felt like I understood him in a moment. He wanted me to come back to his sailboat with him. But I said, no, not that kind of girl. He tried persuading me otherwise, but, just because I find you attractive doesn't mean the time is right for everything else. I choose what is right, that is why I have magic.

I don't know how this story ends, the story of the random connection in Key West. Time will tell.  But my adventure was a success. I am home, there was laughter and peace found in my time away- exactly what I needed. 4:45 is coming up quickly. Goodnight.