Far from the Mouse
Want to stimulate diverging views? Ask a Northerner about Florida and you will be on your way.
The anti-Floridians usually start by telling you it’s too hot, then they might shift to saying that too many old people live in Florida, followed by the assertion that it’s one continuous run of Denny’s, Hooters, the Waffle House, Cracker Barrel, and Publix until you get to the next Denny’s and it starts all over again. In truth, these assertions are borne out by fact.
Conversely, Florida’s proponents come in a variety of flavors. First, you have the “everything Disney” folks. On this subject you can really get people talking, but nobody can dispute the fact that the mouse has dialed-in on making kids happy. If you’re a parent, that satisfaction delivers addictive qualities on par with crack cocaine.
There is another group of Northerners who have forsaken Florida for more southern climates that offer highly predictable warm weather. One too many chilly winter holidays led these people to places such as Cancun, Aruba, or the Caymans. These travelers don’t dislike Florida, they just don’t want to put their seven days of rest in the hands of a mid-winter eastern cold front.
Despite the above back-and-forth, Florida has its proponents and you can count me among them. And why not. Florida has been tempting Northerners for more than a century. Just consider the many writers on this blog who remind us of the state’s qualities.
Lots of other writers have been in on this, too. I love the old Crunch & Des stories by Philip Wylie. Those tales were written long before my time, first appearing in the Saturday Evening Post more than seventy years ago. And you can credit John MacDonald and his Travis McGee books with southward migration.
A friend of mine who grew up in Florida frequently says, “There’s a whole lot not to like about Florida and a good portion of what’s nice is manufactured reality. But there’s a lot to like about Florida, you just need to find it.” I think he is right.
As I write this blog I am sitting in a quiet spot along the coast of Southwest Florida. The State of Florida, it’s counties, private developers, and home owners may or may not have created or modified the scenery around me. I am quite certain, though, that their hand was not at work in creating the eagle’s nest above me or the blue heron working the area to my side. Nor were they involved with the massive tarpons that crashed the surface of the Gulf last night, or the sea turtles that will be soon coming up from the beach to nest, or the sea horse that we scooped up with our small net during the falling tide. No, not even Disney could orchestrate this show, or it’s frame of sun rises, sunsets, and star-filled nights.
Old timers say that the real Florida is largely gone and disappearing by the day. That may, unfortunately, be true. Yet, there’s a lot here. As my friend advised me, it’s all about going out and finding it.
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