Dateline Dayton — As promised, here’s the one-eyed dolphin story.

For the months of February and March, our friends Ray and Darlene rent a home in Venice, FL. We spent a week with them in mid-March, Earlier, another couple also spent a week when they went to Pops for some great food.

While there, Darlene ran into a lady, who was visiting her friend Jack, Daniels, that is. Possibly she had at least one over her limit. And so she proceeded to tell Darlene the story about a one-eyed dolphin, which lives in the water by Pops.

Boaters were feeding Twinkies to the dolphin, and eventually he developed diabetes, causing him to lose the sight in one eye. The lady’s story took much longer to tell because she was repeating herself. Darlene, nonetheless, was excited. She told everyone at her table about the one-eyed dolphin. Ray and John tried to convince Darlene the lady had one too many. But she was not to be persuaded.

The following evening, the group went to Sharky’s. The men got the waiter to go along with the story. He even took it a step further, getting the manager involved.

When the waiter came to the table and was asked about the one-eyed dolphin, he corroborated Darlene’s story. Beaming with pride, she emphatically told the group that she knew the story was true.

About this time, the manager came over, due to all the commotion. He wondered what was going on. Darlene told him the story. He agreed with her, adding fuel to her fire.

Now we are visiting, and on Monday night we are out with our friends Joe and Pam, who live in Venice. Darlene and Ray have decided to join us.

Have You Seen One?

I asked Joe if he were aware of a one-eyed dolphin in the waters near Pop’s. No, he said. However, there was a dolphin named Mooch in the waters by Pop’s.

According to his story, boaters would tap on the side of their boat. The dolphin would swim up close for a helping of, you guessed it, Twinkies.

This was not a setup, really.

It gets better.

On Thursday, we are at Pop’s.

The bartender comes to our table trying to get a heater to work.

Ray asked him about the one-eye dolphin (again, not a setup). “Yes, it’s out in the water here,” said the bartender. “Being a retired optician, I give him his insulin shot every day.”

When he returned to our group a few minutes later, he held a small, stuffed dolphin, and he placed a hand over one eye. “You can buy a one-eyed Dolphin in the gift shop,” he said.

If you ever are in Nokomis, FL, and visit Pop’s Sunset Grill, be sure to keep an “eye” out for our dolphin.

Mr. Hennessey may be contacted at pmhenn@sbcglobal.net