a while back and had a few run in's with the "locals", that's for sure. How long ago was that? Do you remember the book "Don't Stop the Carnival" by Herman Wouk? I knew the real Mr. Paperman. He was a guy by the name of "Mr. Dowling". Never did know the his first name because everyone called him "Mr. D" but was invited to several of the parties on the "HILL". The "Hill" was really the North Side and the hotel was really a couple of hotels and 5 jewelry stores on "Waterfront. By the time I met him he had more money then he knew what to do with so he spent most of his time throwing parties and making jewelry. He had a compound that had three houses set in a triangle. The grounds looked like they were manicured twice a day and the guy had a Monet on the mantel over the fireplace. A fireplace in the VI??? It was in the room at the end of the pool which was in the center of the party house. Mr. D lived in the big house and the Count and Countess Luis de le Route lived in the other house (almost as big). Luis was the son of Mr. D's best childhood friend and as Mr. D never had children of his own, he was giving Luis and his wife everything. These parties were just like the book said and the people were a collection of fruits, nuts, politicians, Vegas show girls and right on down the line. At one of the parties I met "Miss exotica" She was the longest continuous running showgirl act in Vagas until she retired. She was about 80 when I met her and she asked me to dance. I said I couldn't dance to "that kind of music" ( I can now, or at least I could a few years ago) but she looked right at me and said "do you know how to F&^k"? I said, "well, yeah." She grabbed both of my hand and planted them on her ass and said "well then, just hang on" and off we went! I've got to tell you that I had a lot of fun in the USVI. I loved that place. Of course I also got a couple of DWW's. DWW's? Those are "driving while white" tickets. Sorry, it's just a fact of life. I still love the place.