Dave Barry

Right, but not that long. Overnight, no. Yes. But there was a quote from a shopkeeper. This is so Miami. It's like... Yeah, when I first saw it, I thought, oh, damn, it's a dead body. And it's always really relieved it was just a shark.

Right, but not that long. Overnight, no. Yes. But there was a quote from a shopkeeper. This is so Miami. It's like... Yeah, when I first saw it, I thought, oh, damn, it's a dead body. And it's always really relieved it was just a shark.

They do. And they all think they know me. And they think that I'm just wild and wacky all the time, which I'm not. But... But yeah, to this day, if somebody will recognize me in Publix, I'm maybe in the supermarket aisle, and they'll try and decide which size granola to get. And they'll say, the people who recognize me will go, you going to write a column about this, Dave?

They do. And they all think they know me. And they think that I'm just wild and wacky all the time, which I'm not. But... But yeah, to this day, if somebody will recognize me in Publix, I'm maybe in the supermarket aisle, and they'll try and decide which size granola to get. And they'll say, the people who recognize me will go, you going to write a column about this, Dave?

Well, no, I'm buying granola. But yeah, people do feel they know you. I'm sure it was the same with you when you wrote a comic. Of course, in your case, they thought they knew you and they hated you.

Well, no, I'm buying granola. But yeah, people do feel they know you. I'm sure it was the same with you when you wrote a comic. Of course, in your case, they thought they knew you and they hated you.

How would anybody get that impression? Yes.

How would anybody get that impression? Yes.

I will not argue with that. I really do think that for this period from like mid-70s through mid-2000s, I had the best job in American journalism. I had the most freedom, I was well compensated, I was in 500 newspapers, and I could do anything I wanted.

I will not argue with that. I really do think that for this period from like mid-70s through mid-2000s, I had the best job in American journalism. I had the most freedom, I was well compensated, I was in 500 newspapers, and I could do anything I wanted.

If I read that there was gonna be a sommelier of the year competition at the Waldorf Astoria, I could just tell Gene Weingarten, Gene, I gotta go to New York and rent a tuxedo, and go to the Sommelier of the Year competition. And he would never even question.

If I read that there was gonna be a sommelier of the year competition at the Waldorf Astoria, I could just tell Gene Weingarten, Gene, I gotta go to New York and rent a tuxedo, and go to the Sommelier of the Year competition. And he would never even question.

It's still a lot of money. To take a picture of a garbage barge from the air.

It's still a lot of money. To take a picture of a garbage barge from the air.

That's right.

That's right.

Can you imagine what you would have to do today to get the Miami Herald to give you $8,000 to do anything? No, it's not possible. We didn't even ask. We didn't even ask, would it be okay for us to rent a helicopter to take a picture of garbage? We just said, we'll charge this. Do you guys take American Express?

Can you imagine what you would have to do today to get the Miami Herald to give you $8,000 to do anything? No, it's not possible. We didn't even ask. We didn't even ask, would it be okay for us to rent a helicopter to take a picture of garbage? We just said, we'll charge this. Do you guys take American Express?

No, I remember when I asked you, because I remember I was hanging around, we were hanging around the Marlins spring training, and we're talking, and I remember asking you, you know, do you want to go to dinner? And you're like, oh, okay, now you're going to ask me inside information. And you're like, you were fine with that.

No, I remember when I asked you, because I remember I was hanging around, we were hanging around the Marlins spring training, and we're talking, and I remember asking you, you know, do you want to go to dinner? And you're like, oh, okay, now you're going to ask me inside information. And you're like, you were fine with that.