Sunday, March 7, 2010

Tropical Dan's Restaurant

Updated Author's note: Slight recovered from a painful weekend I found where I got the idea for this story. Check out "One-minute Writer" for the Saturday prompt and for other excellent prompts. No, I don't normally comment there because I can't limit either my writing or my mouth to short pieces. Brevity may be the soul of wit but I am often accused running a shortage of common sense and active wits.

Yes, "Tropical Dan's" is a real restaurant located in Cocoa Beach although the real name is completely different, after this weekend I don't need anymore hassles. Finally, excuse the typos but I'm just too damn tired. If I get motivated I may correct them at work tonight.


Strictly speaking, from my point of view I was in my element and enjoying myself immensely sipping a cold margarita while sitting on the patio deck of an ocean front restaurant in Cocoa Beach, Florida at the end of a long drive and a vacation about to begin. Neither Dragonwife nor my son, Darth Spoilboy, could say the same with the former restlessly sitting in silence and the latter at least momentarily placated by his Nintendo Gameboy. The issue not only causing Dragonwife’s restlessness but a few other people sitting around us some discomfort was a local lady enjoying herself far too much.

We had arrived that afternoon in the Cocoa Beach area as insurance to avoid any possible chance of missing our cruise ship that would leave the next morning for a weeklong trip around the eastern Caribbean. It was late September of 2001 and Dragonwife was having a hard time figuring out what she wanted for dinner as we drove into town. We were surprised to find many of the local restaurant’s closed for the season and she was ambivalent at best about the ubiquitous national chains that we frequented far too much back home. Spoilboy being six years-old at the time preferred the Burger Clown and his chicken nuggets but while I would have been okay with the boring national chain restaurants, I steadfastly refused stopping at any of the national burger joints.

For a couple of hours we drove around Cocoa Beach looking for a local eatery that would somehow appeal to Dragonwife but not have a wait time longer than fifteen minutes. Since we were not the only offseason tourists looking for dinner by a long shot any place we stopped had a wait of at least thirty to forty-five minutes. The funny thing about her not wanting to wait was that if you counted the time we spent driving around looking for another open restaurant that somehow interested her we could have been seated and served at least a couple of times.

Spoilboy was a little easier to satisfy being that if forced he would give up his nuggets for macaroni and cheese that just about every restaurant has on the kid’s menu. Which was fine but I could not help but think that the only thing separating the box version of macaroni and cheese made at home and the restaurant version was the addition by the chef of a small sprig of parsley and charging six dollars for a cup full of the stuff making the scam a marvel of capitalism.

The answer to our searching was spotting a sign for “Tropical Dan’s Restaurant” advertising fresh caught seafood, steaks, salads, and a healthy kid’s menu. Dragonwife being on a fresh and healthy eating kick along with a supposedly healthy kids menu pleased her immensely, that was until we pulled into the parking lot. Tropical Dan’s Restaurant was definitely a locally owned eating establishment that even to my eyes had reached its peak about the same time Neil, Buzz, and Michael lifted off for the moon from nearby Cape Canaveral.

The building itself was extremely weathered and faded by the Florida sun and whatever storms must have pushed ashore since the days of Apollo. Mounted on the outside wall next the entrance facing the parking lot was an old stuffed life-sized marlin whose lifeless glass eye almost seemed to be saying if you didn’t like the joint we could kiss its fishy ass. Surrounding the marlin were several other smaller sport fish seemingly caught in a very old net that was literally falling apart. What sold me on the place as we left the car was the miniature surfboard hanging over the front door being rode by a large parrot in tropical shorts and wearing a Hawaiian shirt.

It looked slightly sleazy, dirty, and about to fall apart and I loved the place without setting one foot inside. Of course, Dragonwife suddenly developed a taste for some chicken entrée at one of the national chains but since I had the keys to the locked car and with some old guy carrying on a conversation with a nearby trash can she followed Spoilboy and me inside.

Inside it was dark and cool with absolutely no waiting except I must admit the hostess was a little rude spending several minutes talking on the phone while we stood in front of her. What mollified any anger I might have had was seeing the snap shots on the wall of her with several astronauts including a few I recognized like Sally Ride, Stormy Musgrave, and I swear a recent one with John Glenn.

“Good evening, how many for dinner tonight?” The hostess coolly asked after finally hanging up the phone. I will never be accused of an over abundance of charm but after a few questions from me about the pictures of her with the astronauts we were no longer simple lowlife tourists out to talk trash about their restaurant but respected customers. Thankfully Dragonwife didn’t blurt anything out to change that assumption but I knew she was thinking it.

“Since it’s such a nice evening can I recommend the patio deck next the beach? It’s just a little stuffy in here this evening,” She said escorting us through the dining area.

Taking our seats outside the ocean breeze and the sound of the waves crashing on the shore Dragonwife began to unwind and relax because of the surroundings and was pleasantly surprised by the items on the menu that at least on paper agreed with her exacting palate. Too bad it didn’t last for very long.

Within minutes of our being seated two more families joined us outside and almost at once three waitresses swarmed out to take the drink orders from each table. It was then that we learned that Tropical Dan’s Restaurant was less a local version of TGIFridays or Applebee’s but a slightly more risqué version of Hooters. Each of the waitresses now outside taking orders wore something that was more than a bikini bottom and less than actual shorts. All three of the waitresses wore matching t-shirts that had a pair of drunken parrots on the back, one having passed out on the floor and the other still clutching a mug of beer with a huge shit eating grin on its face. The fact that the t-shirts the waitresses were wearing were three sizes too small and in no way made it anywhere near their belly buttons was something happily noticed by every male sitting outside.

The lady customers on the other hand, including my wife, could be heard mumbling comments of shock and disgust. What their exact issues were I just don’t know since my attention was riveted elsewhere. Still though my family was already committed and we ordered our food with each person enjoying their own aspects of the surroundings as we waited.

The food turned out, even to Dragonwife, to be outstanding. She ordered the broiled salmon with steamed vegetables and I ordered something called Crab Cake Benedict with asparagus that to this day I would drive all the way back down to Coco Beach for just to turn back around and drive home again if I had the time and money.

The fun really started halfway through our meal when the tiki bar attached to the deck opened with the bartender starting a CD playing mild reggae and steel drum music. A cluster of locals came off the beach in various states of dress from golf casual to couples wearing respectable bathing suits surrounding the small bar. It was a good-natured crowd talking and having a few drinks and I believe everything would have stayed cool had one last addition to the group not arrived.

The crowd around the bar greeted the newcomer as “Janice” in a boisterous manner as she walked up the small set of steps from the beach and Dragonwife immediately chuckled at the sight of her.

“She has been rode hard and put up wet, “Dragonwife leaned over and said to me watching Janice join the bar crowd. “

While my wife was somewhat amused one of the ladies at a neighboring table looked shocked apparently having her moral balance upset by Janice's appearance. “She really shouldn’t be out in public dressed like that.” She said loud enough that those at the tiki bar might hear which they appeared to have not heard or more than likely just ignored.

Janice in truth was a sight and the best one word description of her would have been rough. She was blond but it was clear that wasn’t her natural color and that the sun had long since permanently frazzled the actual substance of her hair and despite any honest attempt to style, would never obey any effort at organization for long. Her skin was a dark brown much like old leather proclaiming years of living in the sun and her face held a matching set of elaborate wrinkles but despite it all, hints of an attractive, younger face were still discernable. What really got everyone’s attention was the swimsuit Janice was wearing. It was a midnight black thong bikini with a matching top that was just as small made from material that had to be ultra strong to contain what bodily parts it did cover. The “curious” thing was that the attributes the thong exposed below and the bikini top barely covered above were both far younger looking that the rest of her body and face would suggest.

The commotion she caused with her arrival soon settled down and the collection of tourists at the tables went back to their meals. Except that Janice soon became the life of the party and things only got wilder with her deciding to remove her bikini top.

Even Dragonwife started to get restless as Janice began to introduce herself to all the people on the patio deck paying special attention to the lady who spoke aloud about her choice of beachwear. I think Dragonwife was worried about how Spoilboy would react to Janice parading around but my son had been first preoccupied with his fried shrimp dinner then his Nintendo Gameboy we had thought to bring from the car as we came in.

Janice did finally stop at our table and spent a minute or two engaging in small talk. It was clear that Janice had crossed some line and the hostess was talking with two guys who soon came up and escorted her off the premises, but not before she noticed my son.

“Now who is this handsome young man?” She said stroking Spoilboy’s head and playing with his hair. That finally pulled my son away from his game and he looked up first at Janice, stared at her like he was confused, and then looked over at me.

“Look dad, tits!” He said sounding only slightly amazed at seeing such items not belonging to a family member for the first time. “Are they real?’ he asked a second later like they might be some figment of his imagination arriving far too early. The scowl I received from Dragonwife was a quick and silent reminder that she often disapproved of the speech I used around our son.

"No honey,” Janice said as the bouncers finally grabbed her by the elbows pulling her away, “they cost me a bundle.”

Far from being disturbed by Janice’s attention or her engineered assets Spoilboy was largely unimpressed and never mentioned the incident again.

All things considered it was quite a start to a very memorable trip.

21 comments:

rainboy said...

here After a long time :)
missed your life stories bro

As always you didn't disappoint

take care

Vicky

Laura said...

Well that was quite the trip. :P

My boys would have been talking about that for years! Have you ever asked your son if he remembers it?

I get myself worked up into a bitchy snit about restaurants sometimes too so, I won't dis Dragon Wife about this. :P

I think that I would have been jealous if my man had his attention taken away from me by some scantily clad women. :)
Perhaps that was the case with Dragon Wife...

I'm glad that the food was good though... :P

((Hugs))
laura

MRMacrum said...

Great story that was well told. Brought back my memories of the first boobs I remember seeing on the a beach south of Sarasota when I was 11 or so. A sunbathing woman (I do not even remember if she was good looking, old, young,etc.) forgot she had undone her top while stretched out on her belly. I was walking by just as she turned over.

She saw me standing there and said something to the effect of, "What? You have never seen boobs?" Apparently their exposure stopped me dead in my tracks.

Oso said...

" if you counted the time we spent driving around looking for another open restaurant that somehow interested her "

Beach my ex must have taught a class in that behavior that your wife attended.

Commander Zaius said...

Rainboy: Welcome back my friend, I'll drop your way shortly.

Sunshine: I asked Spoilboy if he remembered the "Tropical Dan incident" and he said yes, although he thought the lady was ugly and weird.

MRMacrum: LOL!!! Down here at Myrtle Beach in the 80's had a time when tourist tried to turn the beach topless. Despite the friendly atmosphere they quickly learned that they were in the deep South when local preachers began prowling the beach with Bible in hand.

Oso: It drives me up the wall my friend, especially on vacations.

DILLIGAF said...

'sipping a cold margarita while sitting on the patio deck of an ocean front restaurant in Coco Beach'

I was born in the wrong country at the wrong time.

That was a corker old bean. Well enjoyed. Thank you!

4D

Leslie Parsley said...

Funny as hell and beautifully written. Wonder what your son told his buddies when you got home.

See you around here and there but have never visited. Since you seem to know what you're talking about I'm going to add you to my blog list - unless you object of course.

Will "take no prisoners" Hart said...

A 5 face and a 10 body versus a 10 face and a 5 body. I don't know about the rest of you bloggers (Sunshine, possibly excepted), but my tendency has always been to opt for the former. Not that I'm necessarily proud of that, mind you.

Oso said...

Hell I'm a 10 face and a 1 body guy.

Commander Zaius said...

Four Dinners: 4D, if you ever get on this side we will party my friend.

tnlib: Welcome and comeback again! I have you and 4D on my blogroll this morning.

Will and Oso: Personally my face, especially the old basic training picture I use for this site is in the negative numbers.

Unknown said...

Yep...sounds like the dive my lil bro hangs in...LMAO... in Coco. It has made my morning Beach...ta for the adventure.
I've long past knowing the local rode hard & put up wet folk, but they are the moment of the cocktail hour more often than not. Yeah? Little brother is retired Air Force, hangs with Cape folk & treats me to "kiss it's fishy ass" joints along the beach up there every trip.... :-)

Laura said...

Well, after having given birth to 5 children.. I count on my face getting me through the door. :)
Not that my body is disgusting or anything.. just... not anywhere near a 10.
My stomach looks like a Toronto road map at this point.
Too much info?
Sorry... :P

((Hugs))
Laura

Laura said...

Hey, is that Tomcat that is on your Facebook the same one that comments on here?
He's a cutie!! :) I could just squeeze the stuffing out of him!!!

((Hugs))
Laura

Randal Graves said...

Any time someone could complain about the waiters/waitresses, just tell them better that than the overzealous yokel from Office Space.

Thumbs up: boobies!
Thumbs down: fake ones!

Commander Zaius said...

Gwen: Just for the rustic ocean-themed atmosphere and the food the place was great. I have gotten very tired of the national clones who many times are not that much better than the fast food places. All things considered I would have wanted to know more about the astronauts that apparently came by often.

Yeah, I had not doubt from the beginning about completely changing the name of the place to were it had no relation to the real one.

Sunshine: You are still very MILFy in my book. Yeah, that is Tomcat on my Facebook.

Randal: I need to see that movie again, but I'll need a beer. Too close to some of the people I work with at the hospital.

MBW said...

All things considered it was quite a start to a very memorable trip.

I bet it was, Beach! Tee hee!

Beleive me, the way you tell your story would inspire people to go pay a visit to that restaurant.

Absolutely riveting!

Forrest Proper said...

WOW- you are a GREAT storyteller. I always enjoy reading your stories.

and, um... the address of this bar is...?

Kentucky Rain said...

I have spent a lot of time in Cocoa Beach and I think I have been in that restaurant Beach. Good story. You nailed it.

Jack Jodell said...

Beach,
You are getting better and better at this craft of writing. I love the hilarious descriptions you've been using of your wife and son as "Dragonwife" and Darth Spoilboy" too---LOL!

Marja said...

lol nice to read your great story again. It is like being there and I am getting hungry reading about that nice food eventhough it is still early day here and a bit cold.

Kentucky Rain said...

I just got a call from an old friend who decided that writing was his forte. After over 300 rejections he finally got a publishing house to accept one of his novels.

Its a tough business and there is a lot of talent out there. Even J.K Rowling and Stephen King received rejection slips. Once you get noticed, however, and develop a faithful readership, you can be off to the races.