It is spring break in Tallahassee and at FSU. The trailing spouse has a week off to follow his lovely wife to the Southland.
The drive from Tallahassee to Miami was peaceful. We bought one of those "Sun Passes" at Publix to be able to pass by the toll booths on the turnpike. For once in my life I had the feeling of exclusivity as I passed the long lines of spring breakers stopping to pay the gatekeeper. We arrived at my friend Gary's house in 7 hours.
To our luck - the Seminoles were playing the University of Miami in a must game. So we headed to Coral Gables in the convertible and got to the campus about 1 hour from tip off. We walked around campus and found a fabulous student cafeteria. They aren't like they used to be when I attended Podunk State Teachers College - the variety of food was tremendous and the price really low. Also the students of Miami know how to dress for the 88 degree day that it was. We ate way too much.
Then we walked a couple hundred yards to the Arena - what a pretty tropical campus. Plenty of tickets at the front window for $25 to $35 - but with my trusty fingers in the air - a nice fellow came up and peeled off 3 free ones for us. The ushers did not seem to mind as we sauntered up to the seats right behind the scorer's table. It is amazing how they seldom roust senior citizens and let us sit whereever we wanted.
The game was great - close all the way. FSU dropped to 10 behind with about 4 minutes to go. It looked like we were going to be swept into the garbage for the season. But the Noles were not denied. You could tell that Al Thornton did not want to let it end that way. At the buzzer - Tony Douglas - who has been sidelined for 5 games with a broken hand - hit a 3 to send it into overtime. In the 5th quarter - the Seminoles reached manifest destiny - 98 to 90 - we celebrated. Al had scored 45. 500 miles from home but in the same state.
After the game - we dropped back into the cafeteria - and the nice lady let us "finish" our lunch. UMiami was very nice to us Noles. I was surprised at how many Seminole fans made the trip.
After the game - Lulu and I watched the lunar eclipse on the beach. It was 36 years ago that we did the same thing - on the same beach - on our honeymoon. Where did the time go?
We stayed with my high school classmate Gary. He left our little town in the Appalachians in 1966 - and made it big in the fashion industry. He retired to Miami at age 50 and the high life.
1. 4 years at Pudunk State Teachers College in 1966 - $4000
2. 33 years of teaching in the same 7th grade classroom - $50000
3. Driving to Miami and spending time with your best friend from high school - Priceless
It is a long way from "coal cracker land" to "coral gables land."
Gary Miller lived on Broad Street in a second floor flat above his Mom's dress shop right next to Moser's News Agency in our hometown. He walked to school for 12 years - then off to the Big Apple to find his fame. Me - I do the dishes and laundry for my wife - why - because I am the trailing spouse. "I carry her baggage."
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