Baywalk, St. Petersburg, Florida

All good or bad things come to an end. Baywalk located in downtown St. Petersburg (my old stomping grounds) has felt the economic slump crump. Like blue cheese sprinkled on a garden salad. It disappears into the dark abyss of the digestive system. Soon to be ejected by natural functions into the sewer of life, deep within the bowels of the earth.

Business, jobs, careers and hopes are traveling the curved path of destiny and falling flat as a domino.

"BAMM," a quote from Emeril.

I feel like I'm walking across a rope bridge (a very old and worn one) in an unknown jungle of terror. One lean to the left and the sound of rope snapping and boards cracking assault my ears. I will be falling down the Alice In Wonderland tunnel. I'll meet furry friends that scurry around babbling, 'I'm late, I'm late, I'm late, for a very important date'. A date with my mortgage holder as they foreclose on my home. I'll hop along to my destination as cars are no longer available due to the crash and burn philosophy of the car manufacturers. Imaginary tea will be served as our precious water has dwindled and there is not enough to go around.

At this point in time fantasy seems brighter than facing the real world and the uphill battle to survive the economy flowing over the jutted rocks of the Niagara River. If we examine the end result of the rushing water spilling down over the falls - we see energy and resources. After the dominoes have all fallen down we can just get busy and stack them up again.

Every day more distressing news flashes before us and bogs us down like quicksand. If we are patient and do not panic we can crawl out of that quicksand pit of pity. Will Baywalk survive? Who knows? Will others crumble as the great divide opens wider? Most likely.

Lyrics from Queen.

Another one bites the dust

Another one bites the dust

And another one gone,

and another one gone

Another one bites the dust

Hey, I'm gonna get you too

Another one bites the dust

After the dust has settled we will brush away the leaves that are not really a pack of cards with an evil Queen of hearts, who screams, "Off with their heads." Alice is left with her thoughts, imagination and dreams. We can have what Alice had. We need hope, persistence and a vision.