Locals Share Memories Of Pain, Bonfires And Bermuda Shorts

By STEVE OTTO The Tampa Tribune

Published: Apr 28, 2008

Connie May Fowler was crying before she even began speaking. I had the feeling she cries a lot.

But then she knew what she was about to talk about.

She was the keynote speaker at the annual Child Abuse Awareness luncheon put on by the Joshua House Foundation on Friday, and she was stunning. Fowler is a nationally known author, screenwriter and essayist. She adapted one of her novels, "Before Women Had Wings," into a film script that starred Oprah Winfrey and Ellen Barkin.

She is one of us and has a degree from the University of Tampa.

She had the formidable task of drawing a crowd of 500 or so into an understanding of the national epidemic of child abuse, and she had to do it at the lush Marriott Waterside.

She succeeded by telling her story of abuse at the hands of her mother. She left out no details and vividly described the verbal and physical punishment the angry and widowed mother inflicted on her children.

If you don't know Fowler's work, it is important and powerful reading.

From 'The Mystics' To 'American Idol'

Readers seemed to be interested in an April 20 column remembering 1968.

Bob Miller of Tampa wrote, "I enjoyed that trip down memory lane. I don't remember much about 1968 either, although I was there, or at least I must have been. I do remember the music and that we had some great bands here in Tampa.

"There was one, I think they were called 'The Mystics,' who were as good as any I've ever heard since."

D.M. from Brandon writes, "Steve, I was only 14 in 1968, but I remember the summers and when we used to [go to] the beaches. I think that was back when they had those little cottages, and my parents would rent one and so would a few of our neighbors. I think most of Tampa was over there during July and August, and we would cook outside at night and have a bonfire on the beach. I don't think they would allow that today."

William Parker was one of several who wrote on comments I made after the last Democratic presidential debate. "Steve, I share your disgust with a long process that seems to be spinning its wheels. I can only say the American public is getting what it asked for, from how the parties choose candidates to how the media reports the contest.

"How could you expect a public that puts 'American Idol' at the top of its hit parade and gets its news from cable television to act differently?"

Leg Fanciers' Victory

University of South Florida professor Gary Mormino sent the following clipping from the April 30, 1958, edition of The Tampa Tribune. Maybe he wanted to remind us we used to print the really important stories.

The headline reads, "Florida U. Coeds Win Right To Bermuda Shorts."

The first paragraph reads, "Leg fanciers and women's rights advocates alike have won a major victory at the University of Florida."

The story said the rule applied only to Bermuda shorts and that "other taboo items for general campus wear are slim jims, pedal pushers and slacks, although these garments can be worn in the women's dormitory recreation room."

The reporter noted that "The wearing of sports clothes in the downtown Gainesville area is also considered poor taste. First time offenders will be confined to the dormitory Saturday nights."

Lighthouse 20, Media 0

A number of you complained that the Trib sports department failed to cover the 20th annual Beepball Game between the Media All Stars and the Lighthouse for the Blind.

This would be the game where our sighted squad is blindfolded, and we try to hit a beeping ball and find a beeping base.

OK. We lost, despite a magnificent homerun from Councilman Charlie Miranda that put us briefly into the lead, before finally losing 7-3, or something like that. And, yes, it was our 20th consecutive defeat.

Keyword: Otto Graphs, to read and comment on Steve Otto's blog.