Loitering with Intent on the Back Roads of Real Florida

Alligators in B-Flat: Improbable Tales from the Files of Real Florida

By Jeff Klinkenberg

Pubdate: 4/16/13

“Newspaper folks have an exquisite circumlocution for loitering: They call it “enterprise journalism,” meaning, usually, that you find a place that serves something to drink where you can hang around and see what stories turn up. Loitering with intent, in other words. If there is an ascended master of the form, it is Klinkenberg, who has been reporting for this newspaper for more than 35 years on the hidden wonders of the Sunshine State and the odd people, critters, places and institutions that constitute it — reports gathered, most lately, in Alligators in B-Flat.” – Tampa Bay Times

Those within the state of Florida likely need no introduction to beloved columnist Jeff Klinkenberg. Residents relate to and cherish his stories, giving further credence to how aptly they reflect “real Florida:” the land beyond theme parks and modern amenities, where a panther or a poisonous snake might be lying in wait.

Klinkenberg’s latest collection of true tales includes the title story, which came about when he engaged a symphony orchestra tuba player to help test the theory of whether or not bull gators thunderously bellow back to a low B-flat during mating season. It turns out that they do, but only to that pitch. The same curiosity, enthusiasm, and knack for the fantastic that led Klinkenberg to find this answer is the driving force behind all of his work. Readers will come away with a great appreciation for Florida, likely inspired to step off of the beaten path themselves.