The Dish
A boatload of
hospitality By Sara Fitzpatrick Comito
“I
love showing people the fishing, the sights and of course, Cabbage Key, because it’s such a special place,” said John Mills. The attorney-novelist also enjoys a good lawyer joke. He’s seen a lot of big sharks and therefore won’t wade more than waist-deep into our Gulf waters. A fishing buddy told him, “Sharks would never eat you, as a professional courtesy.” Ouch. Sharks explore by mouth, gnawing on things to see if they taste good, so better safe than sorry. Anything on the menu at Cabbage Key’s charming and storied restaurant is going to be fresh and delicious. Getting there is the adventurous part. Faster than a great white can decide if it likes the taste of surfboard, I jumped at John’s invitation for my husband and me to join him for a half-day cruise aboard the Trophy Wife Divorce, named after his fifth novel. His West First Street office isn’t the only place he plies his expertise in criminal defense and divorce. These themes are also central to his books, all set against the backdrop of scenic Southwest Florida, where he grew up, preceded by four generations of his family, and the lively proceedings of a courtroom.
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RES GESTAE | AUGUST 2017