Southbound

Vladmar is heading to Florida. he's never been there before. 50 years old and never to the Holy Land.

My first time was in Spring 1971. 4 friends in a Chevy Nova from Boston to Fort Lauderdale. The highway was half-finished. No beltways. Straight through Savannah. We drank and smoked reefer the entire journey. The cops didn't stop us once. We were 18 year-old freshmen on college break. Only I had long hair.

We crossed the state line listening to WBZ's broadcast of the Bruins-Canadians playoff. Boston up 5-3 in the 3rd. The station faded to static at the welcoming rest stop. Free OJ and dreams about finally throwing off the curse of the Les Habs over the Bs. Woke the next morning on a beach.

Our crash pad was across the street from the infamous Elbow Room in which more co-eds have exorcised the demons of alcohol than any other south Florida bar. Got the local newspaper. Jean Beliveau scored 2 goals to tie the game. We lost in overtime. Fucking Canadians. That night I drank in the Elbow Room. It had been featured in the movie WHERE THE BOYS ARE.

I met a girl and we walked on the beach. Stars glistening above the Gulf Stream. I let a joint. We smoked surrounded by other teenage couples making out like turtles getting ready to lay eggs. I stared the constellation Orion. It glowed in the night. Florida. The smell of salt off the breeze.