Key West, The Place Where Back Fat Rules

Getting older and accepting the physical changes in one's body can be a bitter pill to swallow. Speaking from my own personal situation, I try to fight the middle-aged weight gain by counting calories and battle back fat (men, you should ask your wives about this) by purchasing a special bra which covers it. I agonize over my figure and look for creative ways to camoflage my "muffin top". I guess I was of the mis-informed opinion that all women were concerned about these issues and looked for ways to package their middle-aged bodies so the tracks of time weren't so apparent. Well, after spending some time in an RV camp in Key West, I see I was so woefully wrong.

As we were getting set-up, I saw a couple walking toward us. From a distance they looked to be about thirty. Well as they got closer I realized that they were in their early fifties. This didn't stop the gentleman from sporting his vintage 1974 pukka bead necklace, no sir. The woman however was wearing an "A" cup triangle bikini top over a "D" cup chest. The outfit was completed by a pair of low-rise Daisy Dukes that I wouldn't have worn with 20. What is surprising here is that her muffin top was on display for all to see as well as her back fat! These imperfections didn't seem to bother her in the least if you judge the way she was strutting her stuff.

As it happens we arrived in Key West during the "Fantasy Fest" celebration. This wasn't our plan as neither of us had ever even heard of "Fantasy Fest" but Key West was simply the next planned stop on our trip. Based on accounts from other RVers it sounded like a wild time but I was of the mistaken assumption that most participants were young people. Oh, how wrong I was. When we got to downtown Key West Thursday night it was apparent that most people attending were over 40 with the over 60 crowd super well represented. I don't believe I have ever seen so much naked airbrush painted skin (a true lifesaver for me where some people were concerned) in my life - the Street Parade in Zurich has nothing on these people and what they are willing to expose. It takes a little getting used to sitting at a bar next to a woman wearing nothing but pasties and a grass skirt or a man wearing only a "wet paint" sign in front of his crotch. These people do get an "A" for creativity if nothing else. I guess a lot of young people don't attend because let's face it who would want to see people your parents' age walking around like this? Also what would you do if you actually saw someone you know dressed like this?

Funny enough a lot of Americans are uncomfortable when they first move to Switzerland due to the topless sunbathing and the coed saunas where bathing suits aren't allowed (thought to be poor hygiene when sitting in a warm sauna). After Key West I would embrace these things no questions asked. The images of some people are burned into my memory - and let me say, not in a good way. As I told a friend, if gouging my own eyes out would remove these images I would gladly do it.