The Daily Artist: The Aluminum Reynolds Museum: A Misadventure in Jupiter, Florida

During my days of itinerant photography assignments, I found myself in the sunny state of Florida. It was a time when both my mom and my brother joined me on my photographic ventures, creating a perfect blend of work and play. Those were truly excellent times, filled with memorable experiences.

As I researched potential destinations, the usual suspects like Disney and Universal were mentioned, but my curiosity was piqued by the more peculiar attractions Florida had to offer. Swamp tours, the Skunkape Research Center (which we absolutely had to visit!), and even the Burt Reynolds Museum made it to the list.

My mom was often kept in the dark about our destinations, so we embarked on a drive to Jupiter, Florida, with the Burt Reynolds Museum as our secret surprise. Upon arrival, a friendly docent greeted us at the museum's entrance, mentioning the suggested five-dollar donation. Excitedly, my brother and I practically sprinted inside, while I can still imagine my mom reluctantly handing over fifteen dollars as we disappeared into the museum.

To our delight, the museum fulfilled our expectation, surpassing even our memorable trip to Disney. My mom, however, didn't share our enthusiasm. In the car afterward, she voiced her discontent about paying fifteen dollars to see a museum about "Aluminum Reynolds," butchering Burt Reynolds' name in a hysterical manner.

Ever since that moment, my brother and I have shared countless laughs, cherishing the memory of our mom's hilarious blundering of Mr. Reynold’s name. The piece featured with this writing serves as an homage to that majestic moment, a reminder of the joy and laughter that accompanied our photographic escapades in sunny Florida.

-Sergio Santos