My Jimmy Buffett Fan Club Card Has Been Revoked

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Even in my wild and crazy youth I was not much of a party animal. Today, while in Key West, one of the “party” capitals of America (if not the world), I visited a number of the sites made famous in Jimmy Buffett songs. Now, if you know Buffett, even by his “big hit,” you know he’s not singing about the historic churches in Key West. In fact, the tour trolly played a snippet of Buffett’s song “There’s a Woman Going Crazy on Caroline Street” while we were on Caroline Street, and he explained the street had more than its fair share of “houses of ill-repute” back in the late 60s and early 70s when Buffett wrote the song. And then there was Duval Street, which he declared “was rockin’” in another song....and it was. Bar after bar after bar fills Duval Street, including one reported to be Ernest Hemingway’s favorite. And I didn’t go to any of them. I think my Jimmy Buffett Fan Club card has been revoked!!! However, the trolly tour was a lot of fun. It pointed out a number of the major tourist sites in the area, including the Truman “Little White House” where President Truman (and many presidents since) spent a lot of vacation time, the “southernmost point” buoy (which is an upgrade from when I was there at the age of five...it was just a sign then ), Hemingway’s home, the hotel Tennessee Williams stayed at while he wrote A Streetcar Named Desire, and so many other sites. Additionally, the tour guide was great at explaining the different types of architecture used in the old homes (he said that about 10% of the homes in Key West are on the National Register of Historical Places). He also explained why there are no squirrels in the Keys: no natural sources of fresh water. The tour was a lot of fun and a great “introduction” or re-introduction to the magical land of the Conch Republic’s capital, Key West. Jimmy Buffett’s “Woman Going Crazy on Caroline Street”: