ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FENCE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE HOUSE WAS A HOUSE OWNED BY THE BANK. THESE SUNFLOWERS WERE GROWN BY ME TO SCREEN A LITTLE BIT OF THE DUMP THAT WAS THREE OR MORE RAMSHACKLE SHEDS THAT BORDER OUR FENCE AT THE REAR OF THE NEXT DOOR PROPERTY. WE HEARD THAT SOMEONE HAD LIVED IN THOSE CONNECTED SHEDS THAT TOOK UP THE WHOLE WIDTH OF THAT YARD.
WHEN WE MOVED INTO OUR HOUSE, THE OLDER MAN THAT LIVED NEXT DOOR HAD TWO OR THREE TENANTS LIVING IN THERE WITH HIM. WHEN THE MAN PASSED AWAY THE MEN THAT LIVED THERE MOVED OUT. THE BANK OWNED PROPERTY WAS BOARDED UP AND WAREHOUSED. IT WOULD BE AT LEAST TEN YEARS BEFORE A CONTRACTOR WOULD TAKE OVER AND REHAB THE PLACE.
THERE WERE SO MANY YOUNG LADIES LOOKING FOR DADDIES, AND WAY TOO MANY DRUG DEALS GOING ON TO ABIDE WITH, SO, ONCE AGAIN I HAD TO TAKE THE SITUATION IN HAND. LUCKILY, ON HIS WAY TO WORK ONE DAY, A REPRESENTATIVE FROM A COMMUNITY TASK FORCE HAD A TABLE SET UP AT THE STATEN ISLAND FERRY TERMINAL. AL WAS GIVEN INFORMATION ON WHO TO CONTACT, AND THAT THE POLICE WOULD LOOK INTO ANY MATTERS CONCERNING THE ABOVE MENTIONED PROBLEMS. I CALLED AND MADE A COMPLAINT. THE POLICE DID COME AND SINCE MY WINDOWS WERE OPEN, I COULD HERE THEM TALKING, SAYING THAT IT WAS BORDERED UP AND NO ONE COULD POSSIBLY BE ENTERING THE HOUSE NEXT DOOR.
I TORE DOWN THE STAIRS AND OUT MY BACK DOOR. I SPOKE TO THEM, AND WENT AROUND MY HOUSE AND OVER TO THE NEXT DOOR BACK YARD. I HAD TO SHOW THEM HOW PART OF THE ITEMS THEY USED TO SHORE UP THE PLACE COULD BE PULLED BACK LIKE A DRAPE (it was that fiberglass stuff they use for patio roofs). I ALSO SHOWED THEM HOW THEY COULD GO UNDER THE BOARDS ABOVE THE BACK STEPS AND ENTER THROUGH A HOLE IN THE KITCHEN FLOOR.
JUST THAT DAY I HAD SEEN A SMALL CROWD ENTER THE HOUSE AND THEY ASKED IF THEY WERE STILL IN THERE AND OF COURSE THEY WERE. THE DETECTIVES ENTERED THAT HOUSE AND GOT WHOEVER WAS IN THERE OUT. I'M NOT SURE IF THEY MADE ARRESTS OR NOT.
BEFORE THIS ENCOUNTER THE POLICE MADE WITH SOME OF THE RIFFRAFF, I HAD COATED THOSE BACK STEPS WITH TAR AND CUT DOWN THREE 30 FOOT HIGH "SLUM" PALMS AND MADE THEM FALL UP THAT DRIVEWAY. IT HADN'T STOPPED THE TRAFFIC ONE DAMN BIT.
AFTER A TIME, THE DEPARTMENT OF SANITATION STEPPED IN AND CLEANED UP THE MESS. IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN BECAUSE A OF COMPLAINT I HAD FILED WITH EPA SIGHTING THE VERMIN AND HEALTH HAZARD THAT PROPERTY WAS. THEY PROBABLY BILLED THE BANK THAT OWNED THE PROPERTY AND JUST AFTER THAT SOME GUYS CAME AND TORE THOSE SHEDS DOWN AND HAULED THEM OFF AS WELL.
A COUPLE OF YEARS LATER A CONTRACTOR TOOK OVER AND REHABILITATED THE HOUSE AND SOLD IT.
OUR NEW NEIGHBORS WERE GREAT AND REALLY KEPT TO THEMSELVES, BUT WERE FRIENDLY PEOPLE. THEY PUT UP A WHITE VINYL FENCE ALL AROUND THE BACKYARD AND ADDED AN ABOVE GROUND POOL WITH A DECK ALL AROUND AND THE PLACE IT LOOKED REALLY NICE. OF COURSE A FEW YEARS LATER A BULLET TORE THROUGH THE BACK FENCE, COMING FROM THE STREET AROUND THE CORNER. LUCKILY THIS HAPPENED IN THE WEE HOURS OF THE NIGHT WHEN NO ONE WAS OUT BY THE POOL, BUT OUR NEIGHBOR CALLED ME OVER AND TOLD ME THAT BULLET HAD LANDED IN HIS POOL.
NO BECAUSE OF THAT, BUT SOON AFTER, WE SOLD OUR HOUSE AND MOVED TO A VERY NICE RANCH HOUSE IN A NEW JERSEY RETIREMENT COMMUNITY. tmp
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