I go to the fitness center earlier today at my apartment complex and then out to the pool to catch some rays and have a cigar. Once I got situated at a lounge chair far removed from anyone else because I am cognizant that not everybody is enamored with cigar smoke (although I can't imagine why

) when I realized that I left my sunglasses in the fitness center so I walk back to get them and while walking by the pool there is a 60 or so year old woman with a younger one (about 40 I guess) there in the pool and I say, "How are y'all doing?" The older woman's response was this, "Are you the guy who had the Gator shirt on?" I said "That would be me" Then the older woman says, "A Gator fan with a cigar, they both suck." I just said, "Well that's the way it goes I guess." I then went on got my sunglasses and went back to me lounge chair. During my roughly 40 minute smoke (Fonseca Cubano Limitado Robusto) I couldn't help overhearing this woman and another couple about their same age talk about how they hated the Gators and that they "never show the Buckeyes on TV down here." She went on to say she just moved down here from Columbus and the other couple who apparently they just met in the pool said "Oh small world, we moved down from Dayton but we had season tickets to the Buckeyes for many years". This woman who had insulted me earlier said, "I hate how I keep hearing the Buckeyes are 0-7 vs the SEC in the post season." I finished up my smoke, put my Gator shirt on and headed in. When I walked by the pool the lady said vey sarcastically, "Leaving so soon?" I said, "Yes my cigar is finished so I guess I suck a little less now huh?" She laughed and said "Not much though." Then I went on to say, "What really sucks is this: A guy walks by who happens to be a Gator fan and happens to enjoy cigars, offers a greeting of how are you doing and said greeting is returned with an insult of a Gator fan with a cigar, they both suck. No, it is rude behavior directed at someone that is completely unprovoked is what sucks! And what sucks even more is Ohio State who is not 0-7 vs the SEC in the post season, they're 0-8! Native Floridians like me don't mind you coming down here although we would prefer you didn't but if you ever get a notion to head back to Ohio, I'll be glad to help you pack!"

Suddenly the woman who was all too willing to flap her gums incessantly stood there in the pool and was speechless.

I will now really enjoy singing the phrase "A Southern Man don't need him around anyhow" during Sweet Home Alabama tonight when I go see Lynyrd Skynyrd and Hank Williams, Jr. in concert here in Jax.