Sea Rating

At the risk of reaching too far back into the past for a subject of interest, I want to tell you about a notable seafood restaurant I came across a number of months back while in Sarasota, Florida for a wedding. The beaches there are nice, and there are some absolutely lovely areas chock-full of charming shops and restaurants. Regrettably, I was unable to visit them all, though God knows we made the effort. Truly the place is worth a second visit, if only to get to one more restaurant I saw while we were driving around near the hotel.

It was called "Barnacle Bill's". That was enough for me right there, as that is the partial name of a rather crude and salty song of which I am fond (although there are tamer and more sophisticated versions). It's a fine song, and I was pleased to entertain the idea that its titular character had retired from his seafaring and romancing to the town of Sarasota to run a seafood restaurant. Unfortunately, the illusion is ruined somewhat by what I've heard about the bizarre disinclination of sailors to eat seafood. Why make life at sea any harder than it already is, fellas?

I would like to patronize this restaurant for one more reason. Someone there has a fantastic sense of humor as well as of timely promotion. The sign outside described a stimulus plan whose central tenets presumably entail the consumption of substantial quantities of crab legs, lobster, hush puppies and so much more. This is the main reason for my interest in going to the place. I don't know how many tourist or locals are adequately enticed by this line of promotion, but we were at least close. We sure would have gone if it was up to me.

Sure, while we were in town we ate a hell of a lot of clams, but I'll always wonder why kind of economic plan Barnacle Bill has to offer America. I don't think there's any question that it must be comprised of the common sense that is so very sorely lacking over there in the capitol these days. At the very least we can be sure that there will be oysters and perhaps surf and turf. Barnacle Bill, if you run for elective office I am behind you all the way!