There are delicious quirks to living in a small town. Unexpected little things that leave you saying, “Go figure. Never in a million years would’ve I have guessed that.” These …
Stay informed about your community and support local independent journalism.
Subscribe to The River Reporter today. click here
This item is available in full to subscribers.
Please log in to continue |
There are delicious quirks to living in a small town. Unexpected little things that leave you saying, “Go figure. Never in a million years would’ve I have guessed that.” These issues are not huge burdens. They’re normally just petty irritations. The reverberations are the issue, because ultimately, modern life is a number game. Small town. Small response.
Years ago, when Narrowsburg, NY was being laid out, streets and avenues of the same number were allowed to intersect. Essentially, 125th St. and 125th Ave. could cross each other. Logically you would hope one property might have two-digit addresses, the other three- or four-digit house numbers. Only an idiot would allow 666 125th St. and 666 125th Ave. to be across the street from each other on corner lots. Except in Narrowsburg.
An easily ignored problem when for years one of the houses is bank-owned and empty. Harder when that house is put up for sale. Real estate vultures begin looking in your windows to see what they can learn about the bargain on the auction block. Harder still when a housing inspector walks into your house without knocking because he has been told the property is empty. Someone you would hope knows the difference between street and avenue. Infuriating when that inspector implies that you’re squatting in your own home. Boggling when he points out that even the GPS coordinates seem confused.
Then the house at 666 125th St. sells. Renovations and updates start. Building- supply deliveries begin. Hardworking drivers drop two palettes of roof shingles in your driveway. You catch them just before they drive off. You pleasantly point out the mistake. They grumble. You persist. After all, it’s not your fault or responsibility that a mistake was made. The drivers reload the shingles onto their truck and head across the street. Five minutes later another truck attempts to leave a dumpster in your yard. Is it because of the address snafu or does one neighbor just really hate what you’ve done to your house? Now your imagination is engaged. What happens in an emergency? If you’ve called 911 asking for assistance, could they be sent to the wrong house? Could someone die because of this long-ago decision to give two neighboring homes the same address? Just as importantly, would it be against the law for you to keep the cool ottoman just delivered? Stupid ethics.
How does one hapless little person contact the huge company or agency in charge of GPS coordinates to correct the problem? Will anyone listen? Does anyone care? Probably not, but I vow to find out in 2025. As the owner of 666 125th Ave., it’s my Narrowsyear resolution. Wish me well.
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here