Open this time capsule and discover Key West through the memoirs of two "Military Brats" who landed in paradise quite by chance. These whimsical coming of age stories turn back time to the Key West, Florida they knew while growing up as teenagers in the latter half of the 1950s and the first half of the 1960s. It was after Ernest Hemmingway was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for "The Old Man and the Sea" (1953), but before Jimmy Buffet lost his shaker of salt somewhere on Duval Street (1977). It was during Fidel Castro's 26 de Julio Revolution (1959), The Cuban Missile Crisis (1962), President Kennedy's assassination (1963), the Vietnam War (1964), but definitely before Key West was a major tourist destination.
Mike & Diane are connected by their shared experience as "Dandelions", the designated flower for military children. Their stories provide a unique perspective and celebrate the resilience of the Dandelion, as well as its ability to thrive and blossom wherever planted. As "Navy Brats", the children of reassigned career Navy parents, they endured many family moves throughout their gypsy-like childhoods before they were suddenly transplanted into a pristine tropical paradise.
These short stories recreate the Key West the authors knew, allowing you to experience what it was like to land in the Keys when the ocean was crystal clear, shrimpers and sailors populated Duval Street and something uniquely spectacular happened almost every day. It was in this setting they fell in love with the Keys and were welcomed into the charming and protective Conch community. They lived their adolescent years on Cayo Hueso (Bone Key) that was brimming with colorful characters, delightful fragrances, and long-lasting friendships. They each fell in and out of teenage love, tested the limits of their youthful energy and became hopelessly addicted to the alluring adventures of snorkeling and exploring the outer Keys where pirates once roamed. Their tales flash back into early childhood and forward into adulthood so you can better understand the scope and impact of their Key West experience.
Life in the Keys was slow-paced back then, but those who were fortunate enough to visit or call Key West home were placed under an almost magical spell cast by the vast surrounding ocean, azure blue skies and unforgettable sunsets that reached out and pointed the way to endless adventures.