Monday, July 9, 2007

No 'Hood is Complete Without One

I just finished reading Earth Abides, again. 20th time, easily. My first copy literally fell apart. I found my current one at a thrift store, 25 cents. Score! I am fascinated by the idea: what would happen if the human population were suddenly and drastically lowered? The book was written in the late 40's, by a proffessor, and it is so well crafted that it's still in print.
There is an abandoned house just one house away from where I live. I love exploring abondoned houses, schools, closed roads.. they all are "Earth Abides" in action. CommonLaw showed me this place last weekend ( a year and a half here and I didn't know it existed... you can tell my constitutionals take place NOT on the streets). Our neighbor had just showed him, along with telling the obligatory story of meth labs and murder. I tried to research the place, but no luck. It actually looks like it could have been a sweet summer cottage long ago, one tiny bedroom, beautiful gabled roof, bricked area with bbq, now all but burried in leaves. I so want to know how long it's been sitting there, are there cabon dating type tests for these things? heehee.
If I were to go by the funiture I would have to say early eighties, but I find it hard to believe that a place could sit forgotten that long in an area where an undeveloped lot goes for a quarter million, easy, and this place has probably two acres. And, my family had a wood frame Zenith tv into the 2000's, at least until the late 90's. And while there has been obvious vandalism, why has no one stolen at least the tv? Too akward? Or has the place really not been empty that long?
I forgot my camera last time, so I went back with it today. First I had to make sure no kitties saw me leave, or they'd follow me, and there's a lot of broken glass there. As I approached the structure, I suddenly saw it as.. a scary place. Not just a harmless disintegrating house. Dang my imagination! I had no such feelings when I was there with CL. I found myself wishing my cats might have come after all. The thick coat of leaves would protect their paws from glass, yes? Bad Mom! And as if I'd summoned her, there was a mew from Lilly, halfway down the long crumbling driveway. "Lilly!", I called, a bit more high pitched than I usually speak to my kitties. My mouth was a little dry. She continued conversing with me, but would NOT come any closer. Yeah, that helped my suddenly flaring thoughts of ghosts, or maybe just homeless druggees.
I almost left, but then, gentle reader, with what would I illustrate my adventure? So I neared the door. I thought of movies where the DUMB pretty girl goes exactly where you are screaming at the screen for her NOT to go. And I stepped closer. I had to get some pictures. It's like roadkill. I always inspect the poor deceased creature. I don't know why. Anyway, I steeled myself, swallowed hard, and went in. There were no monsters or bums. Just a stale dark silence. The hole in the floor did not reveal a zombie hand groping for my ankle. I snapped some quick shots and got the holy heck outta there. When I stepped into the forest that has grown around the place, I saw that Clarence had also found me. And like Lilly, he was mewing at me and would not come any closer. I didn't quite run from there, but I walked quickly. My cats DID run. The abandoned house has become the haunted house. And yet... I still want to know if it's for sale.

P.S. My camera so schools that one! heehee

3 comments:

Unknown said...

Oh my god I LOVE old abandond places in the day time with someone with me.. I have some pictures of an old abandond hotel we found just this year and it was just amazing...creepy but amazing. I think that house woudl have had to been their a while judging by the pictures...houses don't just fall down like that it takes YEARS of weathering to get the type of damage in there.. but good gosh FURNITURE...it looks like everyone picked up and high tailed it out of there leaving everything behind...

I will have to share with you pics of our abandond find...

Julie

Maewen Archer said...

You are brave. I get spooked so easily -- I would've been running out of there for sure (if I'd even had the nerve to go in). Interesting, though -- cool pictures.

hermitgirl said...

yes pictures!!!!! sounds awesome! (i just pretend I'm brave heehe)