Ophelia was titillated about the gig, almost as much for the chance to get out of town. “I need me a good time,” she said to herself as she packed her favorite ruby red dress.

Meanwhile, Isaac and his father were sailing in the Gulf of Mexico. As was their habit, weather permitting, they blew fare-thee-well kisses to long-suffering Mom and the Outer Banks of North Carolina and sailed south.

Late Saturday afternoon Ophelia convened with her band mates at the luggage carousel in the Key West airport. First thing she said was she was off to get her hair and nails done. She sent the band ahead to set up at the saloon. Toto, her faithful drummer, loves Ophelia dearly, but he is the first to admit, “Ophelia can be quite the diva!”

Isaac and his father whiled the day snorkeling, spearing fish and trapping lobsters. On one dive, Isaac reached the reef and gradually focused his eyes to see an almighty dorsal fin. “First thing I did was freak out,” Isaac shook his head at the memory. “I pissed my pants and that made me freak out even more coz I heard somewhere sharks like the smell of piss! I was out of the water and in the boat before I figured it was probably a nurse shark.”

Between sets Toto stole some calm in an alley, lounging against a wall, his sneakers gluing to the beer-sticky street, he sucked his cigarette. “Ophelia calls me and she’s like, “We got a gig!”” Toto laughed, checking over his shoulder he added, “What a diva! We never even rehearsed! She’s like, “Just play!” We are making all sorts of mistakes!”

Isaac and his father anchored near the main marina and grilled their catch, and invited neighboring seafarers. An odd-job assortment joined, trading in alcohol for the wondrous feast. Afterward Isaac excused himself. “Dang!” he thought, stumbling toward town, “I gotta do the Duval crawl at least once.” As was his way, when he was soused, when he came upon a good-looking lady he would glide up and murmur, “You are so sexy!” Generally the female reacted by going rigid and bolting. “I’m straight coz that’s my test!” he explains, “If she can’t handle that, she can’t handle me.”

Inside the club the air was dense with sweat, liquor and smoke, and Ophelia was singing her heart out, beguiling the audience with her smile, lassoing them with her voice. The crowd was dancing and melting sweating.

Isaac paused in the entranceway. Instantly he was rapt by the passionate blues, and his blurred vision crystallized at the sight of sumptuous Ophelia and her ruby red dress. He waited until he caught her attention, then he mouthed, “You are so sexy!”

Ophelia never missed a beat while she sang and swayed and stared at the sassy young man. With eyelashes the breadth of butterfly wings, she winked at him.