These past couple of weeks with people starting over, switching social media scenes, brings to mind a nonfiction department course enrolled in long ago as an outsider the first year living in our literary town. A professor coaxed us to create a scene, riffing off something he read, he said, about making where you are the center of what’s happening.
The William McKeen book (quote above) was recommended while buying a “Mile 0 Key West” sign online. In his telling, our MFA culture gets bashed on that “island of bones.” He tells how scenes shifted, e.g., post Hemingway, and focuses on the ‘70s. One place ran these rules:
“Our drinks will cost 25 cents more than any other place in town.”
“Do not serve a drink you’d be ashamed to serve in your own living room.”
“Locals get every fourth drink free.”
“Local politicians get every third drink free.”
The owner claims their place became “the institution” on the island within two years’ time.
Tuesday, January 8, 1828, Key West, noon:
Mercury 2° 16′ Capricorn square Ceres 3° 40′, Pluto 4° 27′ Aries
Midheaven 15° 54′ conjunct Neptune 15° 57′ Capricorn
Midheaven, Neptune opposite Saturn 16° 45′ Rx Cancer
Sun 17° 30′ Capricorn
Moon 28° 57′ Virgo
Aries rising
Image: Pixabay