you can tell its fall...even in florida

there are no leaves to turn...and daylight savings time just means less beach time...but i can always tell when fall arrives by a couple of "Florida only" seasonal sightings...the first is the gradual extension in time that it takes to get anywhere or do anything...because the near dead and Canadians have arrived for their first taste of Florida weather... the second...license plates change and the average speed on the by ways goes down by twenty mph...are they re-experiencing palm trees or what...i can't help but resent these white haired explorers...coupons in hand...alert for the sighting of the unadvertised early bird...there is a group that inhabits a condo hotel behind my restaurant...they set up lawn chairs on the parking lot...they blast dean martin from a boom box and get blasted sitting in the sun...sounds great doesn't it.. except they are 300 yards from the beach...do they go to the beach ...nope...come here from the great frozen north to sit in a parking lot...watching the traffic go by...and at 3.30 precisely they get up ...disband and head up the street for the $6.99 early bird at dockside dave's...6 oz frozen and fried almost grouper..or $1 tacos at blue aquave...they fight for seats...i know i am not too far removed from this age group... which is even more fucking frightening...these were the cool older kids in high school...they smoked first ...had sex first and now are the first to become... our grandparents...clutching coupons...were these the hippies of the sixties...i hope not...but pay attention...old age creeps on you like a long silver mantle...before long bruce will be pat boone and we all will be lamenting the $.75 coke and the long walk to school, up hill...in the snow