Day 5 -- Southway to Vaca

Without sleep, those of us that chose not to rest planned our next move. We became weary and disheartened, though, as we came to find that the ferry from Marco Island (Naples area) to Key West wasn't running until the day after Christmas, and a charter plane would cost way too much. The idea to rent a car, which earlier was harshly objected by Mac, eventually came to fruition. It was our only option to get to Key West in time to have a few days of relaxation, which was desperately needed at this point.

I was forced to wait for Jesse, Brian and Prewitt as they went to fetch the rental. Mac was sitting beside me at the public meeting place at Naples City Dock, and 4 or 5 older gentlemen came and sat down with us. They meet daily for coffee and conversation. They didn't mind our company and seemed to get a good laugh out of our situation, which I thought was genuinly out of respect for the situation. I was so tired and dozed off several times whilst talking with these men. My neck kept losing control of my head and it dropped several times and I snapped it back up once I realized what had happened. Mac unconsciously stumbled about 150 yards to the boat to rest. It was easily 100 degrees in the cabin, but he minded not. The car arrived, our laundry was finished and I bought a cold water to wake up the captain, which was the only thing I knew would get Mac to his feet. That man can sleep for days, but can also go without sleep for the same amount of time.

We loaded the car and were on our way. Jesse drove like a mad man and protested the idea of having a few beers on the way. As he was the driver, I respected his wishes and refrained, however bitterly. I was attempting sleep but never quite got there as I was crammed in the back with two others.

We eventually arrived at Key West at about 5:30, checked into our guest house and I had to grab 30-40 minutes of sleep, seeing as I hadn't had any for abotu 48 hours at this point. The others went to a bar called The Wagon Wheel, and I eventually met up with them to play drunken Jenga, which proved for some interesting laughs. The spirits were raised once again, this time for a while. They began to realize my previously crabby attitude was due to lack of sleep and nourishment, so once all that was cleared up were the best of mates again.

We headed to a dinner of raw oysters and conch fritters at Half Shell Raw Bar and set course for Duval Street there after. Our first choice was Irish Kevin's, where we entered immediately as a scuffle broke out. Such hostility was a bit foreign to us, so I think we were a bit rattled. Out of nowhere, Travis Ward, my brother in law's best man, tapped me on the shoulder and we had a few laughs. He and a few other people I knew from my sister's wedding and from my first high school were there for lobster mini season. We chatted for a bit and then left for Captain Tony's, Hogs Breath and all the other tourist spots. We stopped at a place called the littlest bar in Key West. It was in fact the size of a small bathroom, but the owner was an interesting fellow. I began ripping off a conversation with a said local about his time there and how he'd tried to make it as a writer but was weary to get his work published. The conversation made me a bit sad for the man, but he seemed genuinely happy with his life, despite his troubles as a writer. Such individual conflicts are not foreign for those who choose to make it as writers. It's a difficult trade.

That night, we went for a late-night meal and I got some of the best sleep I've had in many, many nights.