Part 1, The Christening
My name is Paul Johnson. I retired from my desk job at 64, took off the extra pounds put on by 10 years of inactivity, and took off for Sarasota in search of a new life. My divorce was final, I still had a sizeable 401(k) after the separation of assets and my kids are educated and out. I wanted a life on the water and close to Spring Training ball parks. Sarasota has great beaches, a mature population, good access to the marinas that surround the Tampa Bay area and a great cultural and casual lifestyle available. Ostensibly I was also looking for a new relationship, as well as new friends and a whole lot of fun.
My life changed dramatically when I found a beautiful old houseboat that was mobile enough to cruise from port to port and big enough to provide a very elegant and comfortable place to crash. The paneling was a beautiful cherry finish that gave the houseboat the feel of a presidential yacht. It was big enough that I could move without hitting my 6'2" frame on the overheads and shower without bending over.
I settled in, moving in my furniture, collection of music, and library and soon realized I needed to find an interior marine decorator to complete the dΓ©cor. I called a friend who recommended Susan Ambrose for my finishing touches. He called Susan and she emailed and we set up an appointment for Saturday morning at 9am at the houseboat.
During the week, I worked at giving the houseboat a complete once over polishing and scrubbing the boat down. By Friday night I was ready for some company. After a shower, I threw on a polo shirt and a pair of designer jeans, and left to find a small piano bar I had heard about on the beach to enjoy some music and make some new friends. As I slid into a bar stool and rotated to face the piano, I noticed a statuesque redhead, approximately 50 years old, with a group of her friends in the table directly in front of me. She gave me a quick smile as she eyed my long, lanky frame. I had played wide receiver in college and still looked like I could strap the helmet on from all the crunches and pull ups I was doing daily to get back into shape. I also had a few laugh wrinkles and a shock of white hair from which my blue eyes smiled back at her. I have an affinity for redheads if you haven't already guessed.