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BOCA RATON - David Kessler grimaced as he pumped gas into his sparkling white 2005 Mercedes SL 500 convertable.
"I am supposed to get super unleaded," Kessler, 81, said with disdain. "But I had to put regular in it."
This is hurricane prep, Boca-style.
All around this tony South Florida city Friday, people prepared for Frances in traditional, and not-so-traditional ways. Many adopted Kessler's attitude.
"Why should I worry?" he said.
After all, people in this city of 79,000 have the money, the resources and the time to survive a hurricane with dignity and some class.
Scott and Jolene McClure, retirees at 47, took their 11-year-old daughter to the beach Friday to see the big waves. Their condo shuttered, their Mercedes garaged, they were headed to a friend's house Friday night. They packed steaks, vodka and photos of their antique furniture for insurance.
"We've got our family, our protein and our alcohol," said Jolene McClure, a thin blond in a black tank top and tight jeans. "This is Boca. No carbs, even during a storm."
Mark Vosk, 21, and his 17-year-old girlfriend, Jennifer Shockley, planned to ride out the storm Friday night in a private hurricane shelter - a big, concrete warehouse built especially for storms by friends of Shockley's parents. In the meantime, they sauntered into one of the last grocery stores still open, a pricy Whole Foods Market.
They wanted smoothies. "I was going to go to Jamba Juice, but it's closed," explained Vosk.
Friday morning, a few people drove around the lush downtown hoping for some window shopping.
But most stores were shuttered. So no gazing at Stelios Galgados Exclusive European Jewelry or Caviarteria, a champagne and caviar bar.
The cafes weren't selling cappuccino. And the downtown clock tower ticked off the seconds for no one.
A phrase from Picasso is inscribed on the tower: "Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life."
Hurricanes too.
Tamara Lush can be reached at 727 893-8612 or at lush@sptimes.com