I was wrong.
Down there in the damp and humidy and the brisk gulf breezes they grow those critters Biggie-sized and after my first encounter with one of those Godzilla appearing monsters, I spent a good part of my restful vacation trying to make sure one of them didn't sneak into my purse or bag ,or anydamnthing of mine, to come home with me and start a breeding program. We only have those nasty, little cockroaches here and I won't even bring a paper bag, box, or potato container, into the house without inspecting the hell out of it. I can't imagine anyone having a bug problem with creatures as big as those gulf-grown ones. They'd keep you up all night banging around the pots and pans!
Anyway, back to the first encounter.
We'd gone down for a few days of get-away time to stay in a condo at Orange Beach and since hubby and some of the other farm managers had been down there previously for a few days of "drunk and disorderly", compliments of one of the chemical companies, he wanted to take me over to Perdio Key to see the FloraBama Lounge and Package Store. I'd heard many tales about this joint, but it's one of those places that you have to actually visit to really experience it. Actually it looks like a total dump but it's one of the rockinist places on the beach.
The first visit was about mid-day and I was hungry so I ordered some of their huge shrimp to have with my beer.
The photo shows them being served on a paper plate but they musta been out of them when I was there cause mine were served on a piece of paper bag. Those were some fine eatin there folks! I wasn't too overly impressed with the place but it was mid-day and hubby told me they didn't get wound up till later in the day.
So we returned the next evening.
We walked around a bit, as much as we could in the crowd, and then settled at a picnic table in one of the back rooms that had a tarp ceiling with pvc pipe roof supports to listen to a little band that was playing in that part of the place. (there were about 6 different bands playing around there that evening).
After several beers and lots of great music, I noticed movement out of the corner of my eye and thinking that it was a fella's feet on another level of the floor, (steps led to a bar above our heads and this plank was stretched across up there so they could watch the band too) I turned my head and found myself looking eyeball to eyeball with one of the biggest damned bugs I'd ever seen in my entire life. Then I noticed he had friends with him. Then I started looking all around the picnic tables and stuff and noticed there were others!!
The fact that the crowd was sharing the place with Godzilla cockroaches didn't seem to bother anyone else cause there were folks wearing everything in there from pearls and diamonds to cut-offs and swimsuits, but even the 6 pack of beer I'd consumed didn't keep me from being leary so I saw an open spot at a table in the center of the room and grabbed my cigarette case and told hubby we were moving out in the open.
After about 3 more beers, a couple of margaritas, and some iced coffee, liquor concoction, I was able to relax a little (but I still wouldn't lay down my cigarette case for fear one of those things would hitch a ride in it) and settled down to party with the roaches. I reckon they were enjoying the music too cause they didn't even try to hide or anything like most bugs do.
I was proud that I was drunk when I remembered eating the shrimp off that paper sack in there the day before.
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