Tears and Laughter: Florida, America’s fun camp

Just last week, speaking before the American Camp Association in Atlantic City, New Jersey, Hillary Clinton told an audience that what we really need are camps for adults – because we have a huge ‘fun’ deficit in America.

I am not one to often disagree and argue, but America already has a fun camp for adults. It is called Florida.

Mrs. Clinton – who I trust is a good gauge at measuring fun having been married to Bill for decades – is just slightly out of touch. She should immediately dial-up VRBO. It is time for a vacation.

The last time I visited the beautiful white sandy shores of Panama City Beach, I actually took note of some of the fun adults were having.

One afternoon I was out on the balcony enjoying refreshments. It overlooked the pool and the beach and the great Gulf of Mexico. It allowed a watch of the skies, waves, sand, and people all at the same time.

I noticed a woman having a lot of fun and she was very much an adult.

I’m not running around all over Florida guessing ages, but I am familiar with what the 60’s looks like and she had moved into the next bracket. Which is wonderful. We need role models.

She was also vividly intoxicated. She had her little orange juice drink with her there by the pool, bless her heart. She had it in a shatter-proof tumbler with a straw for safety purposes.

I wasn’t paying her that much attention until she started stumbling her way down the hotel deck stairs and staggered out to the water. When she got to the water, she just kept going…willfully, purposefully, until it consumed her like a baptism.

Being of the sensitive nature, I began to wonder if she was alright. She kept floundering around. Her face would pop up, then a foot, arms, her nose would peak again.

Eventually a wave delivered her ashore. She lay on the sand lifeless for a minute before she lifted her head. She was laughing.

It was during this same trip, the next day, when my son wanted to walk out on the Russell Fields City Pier. He would stop along the way and look over the edge at the sand and water below.

He, being a young man of 13 at the time, was probably hoping to see bikinis. And he did. But we couldn’t help but also notice that under the pier was an adult – an overweight white male – again over the age of 70. He was embracing a much younger, but still adult, overweight, very affectionate African American female.

The man appeared to have been fishing. Maybe she had been too.

One can only assume the fish weren’t biting.

Justin thought he looked familiar but was not able to recognize him because he couldn’t see his face on account of cleavage.

All I am saying is American adults are not in a fun deficit. Hillary just needs to go to Florida. Taking Bill is optional I suppose, depending upon exactly how much fun she is after.

Amanda Walker is a columnist with The West Al. Watchman, Al.com, The Thomasville Times, and The Wilcox Progressive Era – https://www.facebook.com/AmandaWalker.Columnist.