Diamonds Are Forever, Satellite’s Aren’t

For Sale:  Diamonds Are Forever Yacht - Only $59.5 million



Though the ocean was the primary lure for us on our trip to Florida’s Atlantic coastline, one evening we ventured downtown to Clematis Street.  Clematis Street is described in tourist literature as “the historical heart of downtown West Palm Beach”.   Trendy shops and restaurants of all types sit within view of the intracoastal Waterway, a gathering place for some amazing yachts.  My wife surmised one such super yacht moored there, the 200+ foot “DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER”, is owned by Sean Connery, star of the 1971 James Bond movie of the same name.   If you are interested, it is up for sale for only $59.5 million.

On Thursday evenings the Clematis Street business district features live music in a park just off Flagler Blvd.  The night we were there the band Riverdown was providing visitors with some great, and free, entertainment.

After we decided to stick around for a couple of hours I hiked back to our car to put some more money in the meter.  On the way I stopped to take a photo of some of local scenery, a dozen or so attractive females climbing into a stretch limo.  As I was stopped, a man approached me and stuck out his hand.

“Good evening, sir” he said, shaking my hand.  “My name is Simon.  You will note I have a neat appearance and there is no odor of alcohol when I speak to you.  Yes, I am a man of God”.   Before I could respond, he continued.  “My family and I have been in a homeless shelter but I have now found a job and we have moved into our own home.  Unfortunately, we are having a hard time meeting the $1,340 per month rent.  All we have had to eat today are these banana chips” he said, holding up a package.   Do you think you could help us?” 

Not having yet had dinner, I asked “Maybe . . . how much do you want for those banana chips?” 

Nah, I didn’t really say that.  I might have, but I was so surprised by the whole encounter I didn’t think of saying that.  Sometimes it can take me days to think of a snappy comeback.  Instead, I handed him the four quarters I had left over after filling the parking meter.  Taking them, he smiled, shrugged his shoulders and walked away.  Only 1339 more people like me and the rent is paid for another month! 

As we walked around Clematis Street, enjoying the music and the balmy weather, a half-moon peered down from above.  Somewhere up there, a large European science satellite sent into space to measure gravity had run out of fuel and was gradually succumbing to gravity.  The size of a VW van, the 1.2 ton chunk of metal had the potential to ruin the day of anyone unlucky enough to have it land on them.

In the movie Diamonds are Forever, James Bond’s longtime nemesis Ernst Blofeld threatened to destroy part of the United States with a satellite unless his demands were met.  That ambitious plot was not without its challenges. 

Blofeld to James Bond:  “The satellite is at present over . . . Kansas.  Well, if we destroy Kansas the world may not hear about it for years!”

That may be, but the rent in Cawker City, Kansas, home to the world’s largest ball of twine, was only $353 in 2011. 

Advice to Simon” HEAD WEST, YOUNG MAN!