What happened to Bum Farto?

Well hi there! Thanks for dropping out of the cybersky and landing right next to the coffeepot. How you manage to do that every time, I'll never know...but now that you're there, pull yourself a mugful and latch onto a virtual treat. Say, you know that when I hear a name like 'Bum Farto', I'm going to do a little research and bring it to you in my blog. So here goes, eh...

Bum Farto was the Key West Fire Chief in the '70s. He always wore his signature rose tinted glasses and cruised around town in a limegreen Cadillac with a spread eagle hood ornament, and a front license plate that said "El Jefe" the chief. Bum Farto sold cocaine out of the front door of the Key West fire station. Everybody in town knew it but nobody ever said anything because in addition to his extracurricular activities Bum Farto was a devoted family man and local booster. During a period of time in the 1970s marijuana smuggling was considered by many to be no different than shrimping. The feds however did not see it the same way.

In 1975, according to witnesses, Bum Farto was driving up the street with his rose-colored glasses and in his limegreen Cadillac when two cars pulled out and blocked Farto from the front and rear. Men in business suits (never worn by Key West residents) jumped out of the blocking cars, pulled Bum Farto from his Cadillac and disappeared never to be seen again. 

The Bum Farto disappearance remains unsolved to this day. Jimmy Buffett used to wear a T-shirt embossed with "Where Is Bum Farto." The T-shirts may still be around but are very difficult to find.

Wouldn't mind having one of those...

See ya, eh!

Bob