Ice Cream Sunday

A week ago, on a Sunday afternoon, my friend Bob and I went in search of a car show. Bob had read about a two day show, assuming it was a Saturday/Sunday event, and I allowed as how I could meet him after church on Sunday and we'd drive up to the top of Anna Maria Island to see the show. Only one problem - the show was part of a town celebration which went on Friday night, and all day Saturday.

We were a day late, and ultimately several dollars short. Bob, who is known affectionately as Bobby to many where he works, is the Maintenance Supervisor at Cedars East Condo Association. This is his fifth year, and I can honestly say he loves his job. He came to Florida with less than $200 in his pocket, traveling from New York City. He grew up in Queens, and has great stories of living in New York, where he did every job imaginable, from mover (carrying stuff up four or five flights of stairs) to diamond cutter. Bob has more girl friends than I can count, and yet has successfully avoided marriage in 30 years of dating - assuming he started at age 16. Knowing Bob, probably his youth was far more exciting than my own, if half the stories are true. He is the only 46 year old teenager I know, but he's great to hang with, if only for the stories and his take on life.

Bob now lives in Bradenton, and my son (who is 33 and recently moved to Sarasota/Bradenton) will soon move into the same apartment complex as Bob. Bob will help him move, which is to say Bob will do most of the heavy lifting based on experience. J.B. however brings a dimension to Bob's life - that of computer savvy with experience selling stuff on line. Bob has experience with falling into free furniture whenever one of the 92 owners updates his condo and needs somebody to haul off the old stuff. Bob hauls it to another garage (very few live at Cedars, and somebody is always wanting to get rid of old stuff that is still very serviceable) where he then proceeds to sell it. Now he will add Internet sales to his repertoire, thanks to my son.

So, back to the story - Bob had never really spent any time at all on Anna Maria, and from a prior blog entry you'll recall my writing about lunch at the City Pier, followed by ice cream at Two Scoops. I bought lunch, Bob paid for dessert, and we killed a Sunday afternoon, topped with a sundae. Life on an island is always an adventure, and its best shared with friends. C'mon down, the waters fine!