Sunday, August 30, 2009

Missing people

I see it more and more through the neighborhood. Families moving out; and no one moving in.

A lot of "Sale" signs have changed to "Rent". Yards still have jungle gyms but no children. Grass grows on shells of homes abandoned by their occupants.

These shelters from the winters wind and the summer heat sit quiet.

And I wonder. Where are they going? Everyone has to live somewhere. A cheaper home? An apartment? Under a bridge??

And what of the responsibility of paying the mortgage? That is a contract and signed over and over again. Are the banks just picking them up and everything stops?

And the families who stay, remain inside. The sound of children and dogs can be heard, but few venture outside.

And the cowboy in shades still feeds the squirrels around his blue GTO, Leo in his big floppy white hat still mows the lawns, pairs of old ladies still stalk the streets, the Puritan cleaner truck still searches the neighborhood for bags of clothes, and Black Dog is missed roaming his domain.

4 nights of football in a row and more boxes and bags.

1 comment:

Art said...

Sadly, your fair city does not receive high marks for public education. Given the expense of your neighborhood, isn't it likely that folks can sell and move to the 'burbs where the schools are "thought to be better???