much of the dialogue seems intentionally
trite, much like most soap operas that I’ve
seen. Sometimes I would almost forget that
the characters were playing different genders,
until I look again at Franco’s character in a
dress and a mustache. The blur is not only
part of the entertainment, but also part of why
the work goes deeper than just watching out-
takes from a soap opera.
The Kalup Linzy and James Franco show was
the destination, but it was also a backdrop for
an adventure. Prior to going to the show, we
went to Sanibel and Captiva to look at the
scenery, and fi nd Rauschenberg’s house. His
house on Captiva has been sold. You can see
the gate where it says “Private Drive” and
“No Trespassing.” There is also a toll fee to
get onto the islands, and felt more exclusive
than a small town.
When I stopped at the 7-11 an older man
pushed the cooler door into me as if he was
pushing me out of the way. I was dumbfound-
ed that someone in their 70s would be so
aggressive. I thought about how this kind of
behavior might go over in a place like Miami.
When I was getting ready to drive away, I just
buckled up when I saw a woman pounding
on the driver’s window. I opened the win-
dow. She started to lecture me about how I
was taking too much time to get out of the
parking lot, and that people were waiting. I
looked around and didn’t see anyone waiting.
I confess that after she yelled at me, I gave her
a rare “fuck you.”
I wasn’t in Mayber-
ry. I know that this
wasn’t probably the
same place that Raus-
chenberg chose to
retreat to get out of
the New York City
rat race.
Florida is such a
mixed bag. The Raus-
chenberg Gallery is
more of an anomaly
in the area. Florida has pockets that show in-
ternationally known contemporary art. Miami
is the most notable, but most of the state’s
metropolitan areas have some excellent show-
ings. The mixed bag part comes from the
melting pot aspect of Florida. Driving through
the Lake Wales Ridge looks like it could only
be Florida, but a large part of Florida has a
twang, mixed with snowbirds, and others
who have relocated from other countries.
The roadside is scattered with many chain
restaurants, mom and pop diner types, Latin
American markets and restaurants. Some of
the best Mexican food that I’ve ever had has
come from little joints in small towns or out in
the country alongside Florida highways.
As we drove through Everglades City follow-
ing a long awaited downpour (we’ve had a
long drought), it appeared that everyone had
left town. In the ’80s, most of the population
of this sleepy swamp town were arrested
for pot smuggling. The area known as Ten
photo by Ashley Inguanta
Thousand Islands was a source of frustration
for DEA agents. The locals laughed about
manipulating the agents into areas where
they would get stuck in shallow water. It’s
interesting that the Everglades City Wikipedia
page doesn’t mention the smuggling arrests.
That seems pretty suspicious.
After Fort Myers, we headed north on 41 to-
wards Sarasota, or Pinecraft to be more pre-
cise. Pinecraft is an Amish and Mennonite
community located in the suburbs of Sarasota.
We ended up at Yoder’s Restaurant. They are
known for their pie and fried chicken. By the
way, both are excellent.
Driving down the back roads doesn’t feel very
bac k road a lot of times. There are plenty of
empty strip malls, defunct tourist spots. Flori-
da is an aggregate of what is wrong and what
is right about this country. The dead tourist
spots symbolize unfulfi lled and unrealized
dreams. Empty malls, businesses that may
have boomed or possibly didn’t,
plenty of bars and churches.
I dream of a Florida from the
past that is more progressive
than previous times. I dream of
canopied roads, mom and pop
tourist traps. It’s a place that
has to be experienced for a long
time to understand what it is.
Maybe most places are like that.
I am hopeful that amidst the
greed and shallowness that the
benevolent dreamers will win
in Florida and elsewhere. Next
week, I plan on taking the ele-
vator to the top of the Clermont
Citrus Tower. I want to look out
the window. I know it will be
beautiful.
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