Somewhere in Florida. Every day...

Somewhere in Florida there’s always five guys that look exactly like this standing beside a pickup truck… except now it’s parked near the water with crushed shell gravel, palm trees, and air so thick you can practically drink it. Same uniform - just adapted for “it’s 90° but feels like 110°. 

Baseball cap pulled low, sunglasses (mandatory now), t-shirt or lightweight hoodie, maybe a fishing shirt, cargo shorts or jeans, and boots that probably shouldn’t be worn in this heat but are anyway. Hands in pockets or holding coffee - yes, still coffee - or something cold in a can that’s instantly sweating more than they are.

Ages range from about 30 to 75, but every single one of them has looked 65 since about 2015. One guy runs entirely on gas station coffee and breakfast sandwiches. Another one’s been up since sunrise “checking the tide.” The rest are powered by fried food, Cuban sandwiches, and “we’ll just stop for a minute” that turned into the whole afternoon.

At least two are sweating through their shirts but refusing to admit it. One’s got a truck running for the A/C. One swears he knows a shortcut that “avoids all the traffic” (it will absolutely go past three school zones and a drawbridge).

And at least three of them have very strong opinions about driving that always involve I-95, I-75, or “trying to get through Orlando.” Within about 90 seconds they all agree on the following:

the weather makes no sense (it rained five minutes ago), it’s definitely going to storm later, hurricane season is coming, traffic is getting worse, gas used to be cheaper, and somebody definitely saw a gator not far from here.

One guy knows the best place for seafood or wings… but he’s not telling anyone because “it’s already getting too crowded.” Nobody really knows why they’re standing there - and honestly they don’t need to. They’ve been having the same conversation for years, and if you drive by tomorrow, they’ll still be there. Hands in pockets. Nodding. Looking out at the water like they’re waiting for something to happen.

 

Thanks to Florida Life on Facebook for the inspiration.

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