Make Mine Mike

In New York, I once met this guy briefly, and months later, ran into him again. He was a friendly, upbeat type who remembered my name and a lot of things from our previous conversation, so I wanted to do the same.

Michael: Your name's... Josh, right?
Josh: That's right. Good memory.
Michael: And you're from... wait, don't tell me... California?
Josh: No, but that was close...
Michael: Nevada.
Josh: Uh-uh.
Michael: Oregon?
Josh: No, I don't mean close geographically. Close in style, but still very different...
Michael: Huh? I don't understand.
Josh: Okay, take California and mix it with New Jersey.
Michael: Oh, of course: Florida.
Josh: Bingo.

I never forgot that comparison. I've been to "America's Wang" on a few layovers en route to the Caribbean, and on one extended visit a long time ago. When I was 5 years old we went to Disneyworld. Sounds magical, but aside from Mikey meeting Mickey Mouse, all I remember is that it rained the entire time and then I cracked my head open on the hotel windowsill and spent the rest of the trip in some hospital in Miami getting stitches.

A lot of authors I like write about South Beach's new look and paint colorful pictures of Dade County criminal hangouts. But who knows how much of that I'll get to see -- I'll be spending most of this upcoming weekend in Florida with my future mother-in-law. We'll see if I have some of my own sordid stories about the so-called Sunshine State.