Palm Beach, FL
It’s noon. Mark and I just polished off 6 eggs, 4 pieces of toast, and a package of bacon. I prepared, he cleaned. Not a bad team. We also teamed up well last night. Mark is not shy. He will talk to anyone and does so. Some talk back, some don’t. We went out on Clematis Street in Palm Beach last night. It was both of our first times down there. This is an area that has a lot of restaurants and bars. We got there at about 4:30 and walked around. We met two guys from Detroit who told us to go to this place, Bradley’s. We went.
Mark did his thing (he’s a talker) as I did my quiet watching. He went back and forth with the bartender and then we met up with a young lady. She and Mark talked and then I entered. Her friends came a few minutes later and the 5 of us joined the fun together. We stayed there for a while. Mark introduced me to two girls moving out of Palm Beach. They were younger than us, and one seemed to be doing something other than drinking. Either that or she was out there. At one point, me and the two girls went inside to sit and talk. We sat up at the bar and I ordered drinks for us. I paid for them and we finished. They had a vibe about them and it was time to rejoin the others. It turned out that the out there girl had started a tab on her own. I thought I had paid for hers. She then became irate! She slammed the rest of her beer, ordered another one, and then paid for them. She was livid at the bartender, who I had thought she had given a phone number to just a few seconds earlier. Me and her friend didn’t know what to do. I’m not sure if she was mad at me too, since I only bought the one who might have been into me a drink. I thought I bought for all of us, instead just me and her. I probably looked cheesy. She was pissed off and we joined up. Not long after that they left. Never to be seen again. Mark and I laughed about that today.
The 3 girls we were hanging with went to dinner. Mark and I stayed (funds). We said our goodbyes. We finished at Bradley’s and headed out to see what else is in Palm Beach. We walked about 20 paces and bam, there were the 3. They had just paid for their meal and the next thing I know the 5 of us are getting into a Mercedes’ going somewhere else. We crossed a bridge and tried to go to a place they like, but it was closed. I was lost as we turned around a few times, and then we came to a new spot. We entered, grabbed a standing table next to a group of tie die folks, and ordered a drink. One of the girls was angry because she couldn’t smoke. She said she knew the owner and went to get clearance to smoke. Me and the girl I was talking to the most went outside. We talked for a while and then the smoker met us out there, I guess she was denied.
It was weird in this place. I must be self conscious because I noticed Mark and I were the only guys in shorts. I had a nice shirt on, but I felt like pants would be good. But, we started at 4:30 when it was warm and sunny. At this point it might have been close to 9 or 10. The three of us outside sat on the curb, right in front of the valet area. Everything is valet in Palm Beach. Too rich for my blood. We went back inside and hung out for a bit. The girls maybe realized Mark and I weren’t high rollers as they bought us a drink and we did not reciprocate. But, they still took us with them.
We went to a beautiful hotel, which I’m mad I can’t remember the name right now. Not to stay, just hang out. It was huge and had a great courtyard. I got on my cell phone and called some folks. I did that throughout the night. We stayed at the hotel for a while and I became the kissing bandit with the one girl I talked to most of the night. We left the hotel and I can’t recall how it shook out drink wise. Mark and I did our own thing for the most part as we wandered the hotel grounds. They were still happy with us, I think, and took us back to our cars. The only thing is we went back into Bradley’s. We were on a roll.
At Bradley’s, which was now very crowded, Mark and I walked around. Mark stopped and was talking to a guy who was sitting by one of the doors. I looked at him. He looked at me. We stared at each other for a second. It was a guy I knew from Memphis!
How bizarre. Late at night in Palm Beach is Curt. I knew him when I lived in Memphis a couple of years ago. He was a friend of a friend, but we had played basketball and hung out some. That was strange. We got caught up and chased some ladies. It’s a small world.
Mark and I decided it was time to go. We came back to the apartment and crashed out. It was a fun night. We met some great people.
Today was a day of sleep recovery. I’m leaving for Fort Lauderdale tomorrow and am out of the apartment then. It’s been nice being at a place that I can call my own. Alone time is a good thing from time to time. I hate to leave the apartment with the view of the water, but it’s time get out and see what else is out there.
I’ll be in Lauderdale tomorrow, Boynton Beach for Monday and maybe Tuesday nights (staying with my kind of Grandpa), then will hit Miami and Key West. Next weekend it looks like I’ll be in Naples seeing the people I stayed with in Orlando (Rich and Amanda). Then it’s up to Tampa. I’m hoping I can hook up with a childhood buddy who will be in town for work.
Tonight I have a date. A date with me. I’m cleaning up the place, just ate a salad, fried chicken, baked beans, and mac salad. I’m watching some NBA Playoffs, although they just don’t do it for me like they used to. The Finals are cool, but I don’t have a team anymore. I have Runaway Jury to watch and some groceries to finish off (popcorn and fudgesicles). Time to get on the packing and cleanup.
Enjoy the weekend.