PASS-a-GRILLE BEACH (#46): As long as I can remember, I assumed I would live at Pass-a-grille Beach, just like my Great Grandfather, Grandfather, and Father. One person made that possible, Cousin Marie Neville. Her kindness and generosity, and the relationship between the Simmons and Neville families is a much longer story that I will tell before Cathy and I move to North Carolina. For now, just let me tell you about the house that was now Cathy’s new home.
With the help of Cousin Marie, I had managed to save $8,500 during my first two years out law school. No small feat, when my starting salary was $12,000. The $8,500 became the 25% down I needed to buy one and a half lots in what was once Pass-a-grille Beach, Florida (PAG), one of the most beautiful stretches of beach in the United States. PAG was in the Guinness Book of Records for having the shortest main street in the continental United States. 8th Street ran one block from the Gulf of Mexico to Boca Ciega Bay. 8th Street became 8th Avenue when PAG was incorporated into St. Petersburg Beach in 1957.
The President of the bank, Howard Nix, was a different story. He was a sexist, among things that I won’t go into now. When I asked Howard why our loan was denied, his reply was, “Scott, you couldn’t afford that house on your salary. We couldn’t count Linda’s salary. She’s a pretty girl. Pretty girls get pregnant and quit their jobs!” To save money, I designed our beach cottage and had blueprints made from my drawings. The house was built by my friend, fraternity brother, and fellow Gulfporter, Bill (Grouper) Caldwell. This was a good thing because Bill’s brother-in-law, architect Vaughn McCarthy, took a look at my plans and made a suggestion that saved the house, “You need to angle the fireplace! It will help divide the entry, the living room, the dining room, and kitchen.” I don’t think I ever walked into the house without thinking of Vaughn.
The equity in the lot grew in value and was enough to secure an 80% loan through Home Federal Savings & Loan. Al May, Skip Carr, and Pat Allison were great people. My ex-wife was a Marketing Officer for Landmark Union Trust Bank, and they had denied our loan application. Linda’s boss, Bob Stewart, was a prince of a man. I just can’t say enough good things about him.
I also did all of the work I could. I cleared the lot myself. I nailed all of the hurricane clips; the floor joists to the beams, and the roof trusses to the exterior walls. With the help of family (see my Mom) and friends we stained all of the exterior cedar siding.
My ex-wife and I moved in to our PAG home in May of 1979. When we divorced 8 years later, she agreed that I could keep the house and she would take a duplex we had bought on St. Petersburg Beach. We worked out all the details and just had a friend draw up the paperwork. I need to add that Linda was a lovely, caring, and thoughtful person. I was a hard working, self-absorbed jerk.