The Fort Rock (part 8)

This is a story about my Grandpa telling me the story of his dad swimming the Mississippi River.
I drove Grandpa and Grandma to Florida in 1978 at the start of the biggest snowstorm. I ended up I. Florida 6 weeks. I was fishing, riding 100miles a day, and traveling around with Grandparents. I do remember they made me help paint the house. Haha I thought I was on vacation! I rode my bike fishing to the Gulfport pier. The pier had to be rebuilt after hurricane and the house was rebuilt because of improvement to the drainage ditch next to the house. I took my family to Florida and tried to find the house and was disappointed it was gone. They rebuilt the bridge and widened the drain.
The old guy on the pier was a retired resident and made a box from old ply wood. He had some cut outs of pelicans that he would put in background. He charged 1$ to take your picture. He used chemicals to develop the picture while under a black canvas. After walking out to the end of the pier and coming back to leave, the picture would be developed and ready. Would make a great poem too! Rick