January 31, 2012
We took yet another trip to Key West from Marathon - this time by bus and staying overnight in a B&B.
The Lower Keys bus is quite a bargain at $4 for which you can ride between Marathon and Key West or anywhere in between. It is, however, a typical bus route and the stops and side tracks turn a trip of less than an hour into almost a 2-hour trip. On our trip back, the bus was filled to capacity, primarily with people who work in Key West but live further up the Keys (it is very expensive to live in Key West).
Our visit was very laid-back, with a lot of time hanging out in gardens or coffee houses just relaxing.
Our primary tourist activity was a tour of Harry Truman's Little White House (http://www.trumanlittlewhitehouse.com/). The tour far exceeded our expectations. Jimmy, our tour guide, is a native Conch (born in Key West) and as a 12 year old paperboy, tried to sell Truman a newspaper on one of his daily walks through town. Jimmy had many entertaining stories about Truman and Key West.
The house was exceptionally accessible, nothing was cordoned off by velvet ropes, etc. It was very interesting to stand next to the bed he slept in or the desk he used while in Key West. One of the things that really interested me (Tom), was that on the back of the famous 'The buck stops here' sign, it read 'I'm from Missouri'.
We were very impressed, both by the numerous very important decisions that Truman had to make (most notably dropping the atomic bomb on Japan) and by what a humble and down-to-earth person he was. Truman was Roosevelt's running mate for his fourth term and became President when FDR died less than three months into the term. This really highlights the fact that, during an election year, we do need to consider the credentials of the Vice President, and that they should not be treated as a figurehead.
Truman loved to play the piano, in fact he once said that "My choice early in life was either to be a piano player in a whorehouse or a politician. And to tell the truth, there’s hardly any difference". Once when he was vice president he was coaxed into playing the piano at a Press Club function. Somehow, a 19 year old Lauren Bacall ended up sitting on the piano showing off her long legs. A very famous photograph of the scene is somewhat reminiscent of a piano player in a house of ill repute. When his wife, Bess, saw the picture she said that it was an inappropriate image for the Vice President of the United States. In deference to his wife, he never again played the piano in public during his time in office.
When his second term was complete, Eisenhower offered to fly Harry and his family back to Independence, Missouri on Air Force One. Harry declined the offer saying he was no longer in office and didn't deserve any special treatment. He bought a regular public ticket for himself and his family and rode the train back home.
After his term as president, he had many offers for jobs and other engagements which he declined. "It isn't me you want," he told them. "It's the presidency, and that doesn't belong to me. It belongs to the people."
After our tour, we both felt that what we need in Washington today, is more men and women like Harry Truman!
Tom
Marathon
Monroe County, FL
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