The story about the tropical shirts dates back long before Brian and I. Way Back to another Satellite Beach boy, Shelby Strother, a great sportswriter who celebrated his love for Florida by wearing those prints through the cold winters of Denver and Detroit.

The shirts became sort of a Remembrance for me—Brian never told me how his fashion statement started. I never asked. It seemed to fit him. But Once, I made the mistake of going non-Tropical two days in a row and he called me out—right there in the hall. “What’s going on with you? You tucked in your shirt two days in a row? You selling out?” Lord, I think I had socks on,

too…I didn’t tell him that. But I untucked my shirt right then and there! I did not wish to be a cultural infidel!