Location, Location, Location

I was sitting in the waiting room at the doctor's office idly flipping through one of those local real estate flyers where all of the homes on the market around here are listed. For some reason my eye was drawn to an ad entitled "Foreclosures! Bank Owned Properties!" And there on that page was a red brick ranch style home set off from the street.

It was described thusly: " 5 bedroom, 2 bath home on 5 acres. Conveniently located across from an elementary school with room for everybody!"

Shit. I grew up in that house.

My boyhood home got took back by the bank!

I have no idea about the circumstances surrounding the fact that Mother's house is now on the auction block other than the obvious fact that the lady I sold it to didn't or couldn't keep up the payments for some reason. Mother would be horrified by this turn of events. But then again, she has always had a semi-morbid penchant for infusing excessive significance into places and things. As for me, I am able to look at this with the sense of bemused detachment with which I regard most events in life's rich pageantry. Bemused detachment works for me. It would also tend to explain my marital status.

But to be fair to Mother, she is not exactly the Lone Ranger in this regard. A friend of mine in the real estate game says that sometimes you can get "a house in your head." And to be completely unfair to the noble profession of realtoring, this is how they separate you from your money. But I digress.

Here is a True Story.

One day, I went out on the porch and discovered the man who sold me my house sitting on the swing that was formerly owned by him. It was around 2 in the afternoon. He was drunk. Being the intuitive sort of person that I am I immediately sensed that SOMETHING WAS WRONG. I sat in the rocking chair across from him.

" Is it ok if I sit here a minute?" he asked.

" Sure." I replied. "Ummm. What's up with you?"

" Well, things haven't gone too good for me in the last couple of years. Vicki and I bought that house in Leawood so her mother could move in with us. About halfway through remodeling, she decides she wants a divorce. And then the software firm I worked for went under and I lost my job. Took me almost a year to find work. And all I could find was a sales job for a business that sells rubber stamps. "

" God, Jimmy. That's awful. I don't know what to say."

" Ain't nothing you can say."

" Well, why are you here?"

" I'll tell you the truth. I come by here at night sometimes. I climb up on the fence in back and look in the backyard. Today, I was walking by and just thought I would sit here for a minute. I figured you wouldn't mind."

"Okaaaaaaaaay.......Why are you doing this?"

" Vicki and I lived in this house for 22 years. Now in a year's time I am out on my ass, she's getting remarried and I'm living in a goddamn apartment. I just wanted to come and spend a minute at the last place I was happy."

He began to cry.

"Sure." I said. "You sit there for as long as you want."

We both rocked in silence for about 15 minutes.

" Can I have a beer?" he asked.

"I don't believe you need anymore beer, Jimmy." I said.

" Then I guess I'll head out."

We shook hands and he walked away. I never saw him again.

Jimmy sold me the only house I have ever owned. I like where I live. I've sometimes thought about selling but where else would I go? I've thought about adding rooms but I'm the only one that lives here and that looks like it will never change. What would be the point?

I am on my front porch as I type this. It is a beautiful spring day. One of my neighbors is planting flowers in her yard with the alleged assistance of her daughter. I just got off the phone with a buddy that wants to play golf on the neighborhood goat track this afternoon. The breeze blowing in from the West is cool and inviting. A stunning redhead unfolds out of a convertible T-Bird to go into the antique store across the street. She waves and says " What a great day, huh?"

Note to self: Cultivate an interest in antiques.

Note# 2 to self: Forget first note to self. This is how the troubles always start.

Some day I will leave here. And I will always have happy memories of my time here. But unlike my mother or Jimmy I will never have a "house in my head." Change is inevitable. The trick is to not believe for one minute that your happiness is tied to places or things. Or other people for that matter. Because then you start taking it all for granted.

But it is a beautiful spring day. And I am on the front porch of a little house that I love.

And that is enough for now. That is enough for now.