Old-New-Old

RESPECTABLE  LANE

 

Our Basin St. isn't like the famous one. There are no jazz joints, no sex shows, no particularly good eateries, no big musical funerals parading through town. We've had a few haute courtiers shops that didn't stay in business very long. Our pride is our well filled library that caters to teens who supposedly are doing homework, making reports but are really checking each other out to get the word who is 'into it.' A pretty good family restaurant offers great specials on Wednesday evenings but unless you have a reservation for the last two weeks, have your wife fix supper.

 

The old beautifully elaborate Stanley Movie Theater remains in good condition as a monument to the '30's and '40's. Wide white marble stairs lead to the balcony. Tinkling, glittering crystals dangle from the  lobby chandelier. The old red velvet curtain with gold braided tassels pulling it back as soon as the lights go out and the movie begins gets applause every show. Many of us oldsters can spit out stories of the famous stars who performed here.

 

A large fading sign in the window of the corner store reads, 'FOR RENT- Call Darby Associates-1-800-326-7810.' ) Our  business area used to have an active pool parlor, with lots of gambling, until it was raided by our then famous mayor, a true blue real republican in our democratic town. I never saw him, but the story goes, Clark Gable played pool there once after his show at the theater where he did a great buck and wing tap dance.

 

We residents like what we have and are one big happy family until, until the sign disappears and a new one is bigger, brighter. Letters come to every house that Charles Lakemont Associates, Chicago, Ill, has  purchased the quarry with 22 acres of surrounding land. Construction of a new development of homes, stores, etc. will begin April 3, 2010. Flyers of plans, prices, advantages of buying at Quarry Lakeside fill our mail boxes.

 

There is no way to stop it. We are going to lose our quarry! The young kids are angry. They always loved the quarry and its lake  until little Bobby Jackson drowned in it. Stories circulate about his crying every night. Fools take baskets and have picnics there just to try to hear Bobby. Some imagine they do.

 

A town meeting to stop the new development accomplishes nothing. The deal is legal., a fait accompli. Our future becomes our most talked about subject. Wherever one goes the subject comes up. At our monthly meeting the vote is not to invest in the new development. April 3 arrives as do trucks, heavy equipment, noise and dust. Talk is cheap, action non-existent. House for sale ads appear in our newspaper. Quickly two houses are sold. The more noise and dust we get, the more houses are listed.

 

By the time winter is over we can see roads have been laid out, sewer lines  buried. What seems to be an office building is right beyond the guard house. It looks more like a cozy private home than an office. The guard directs visitors to its surrounding parking area. Millie and I, and all of Summerville,  are invited in to look over the model of what will be here. It is really going to be a lovely place to live, but we don't dare admit to each other what we really think. Brochures in hand, we leave, take a chance getting into the Family restaurant without a reservation and are blown away. We are seated at once. I mentally take a customer count of thirty instead of a normal hundred. Basin Street is going down hill.

 

'Millie,'I  say, 'Want to go back to the Quarry and look around more carefully?' She agrees but would rather talk at home. It takes several more trips to be satisfied before we put down a deposit on lot #212 Respectable Lane has a nice lilt to it. However, Millie and I don't take kindly to the rule: 'Adults living  only-Children Welcome as visitors.' That sort of rubs us the wrong way but it does have advantages for seniors like no baseballs thru our windows, no school buses waking us 7 a.m. seeing trousers pulled up neatly without exposing butts..

 

There is much to do. Well before we advertise our house for sale, we tell a few of our longtime good friends that our house is up for sale. What a surprise we get when four other couples tell us they already did that. The Bachman's sold their place as is, with furniture, everything and feel they made a good deal.

 

Twice a week Millie and I drive over to our lot. The foundation is in, brick walls, window frames are set in a month. The slate roof will go on the end of July.  We have no inquiries to buy our place until Millie gets a brilliant idea. 'Let's put it up for auction.' And so we do. It hurt like hell to see it snapped up so cheap but the buyers, newlyweds who like the idea of maybe ghosts, of doing a lot of work themselves , works out for us.

 

The kitchen fixtures, lighting, bathroom tile, bidet, ready for settlement. December 11 we settle our house with the newlyweds, who give us a free week to clear our things out. There are so many memories that Millie and I cry each time we box them for charities.

 

Within a month of moving in to 212 Respectable St. our new kitchen set, bedroom, Venetian shades on all the windows, we still have a bit of trouble putting Basin St., our long time neighbors out of our mind. Walking down Comfort Lane I bump into two old friends of ours who now live at Quarry Lakeside. Big smiles, handshakes brighten our souls.
Millie and I talk it over, agree we made a good decision. It's almost like we are young again, starting a new adventure.

 

Quarry Lake puts on a spectacular fire works show. The flares light up the quarry edge and head to the moon. A barbecue follows. Happiness surrounds us until a siren comes screeching in. Lights flashing, medics running to the quarry's edge, spotlights on the water. One of our former neighbors had  reported he heard someone screaming for help from the quarry. The search went on until midnite when the ambulance gave up.

 

Those of us who moved from our now dying town knew who was screaming in the dark, cold water, Bobby for sure.