As my whimsy takes me
I don't pay much attention to street signs and never did, but it's worse now. Massachusetts doesn't go in for a lot of street signs - afterall, the natives all know where they are going.
I usually know where I'm going too. I want to describe my favorite route to the bookstore - starting from the library.
First to the library on Woods Square - which is round. That amuses me so much that I always remember it. Furthermore, Woods Square is a ROUND-ABOUT. I adore round-abouts. They are the greatest because they make sense. Even if someone decides that the rules don't apply to him, there are enough people who are cautious about round-abouts that even I can use them without trouble.
So, I go around the circle at Woods Square and head toward Technology Drive, except I'm not going there - I veer off just past the Castle (National Guard Armory). I call this road Witch-hat Road because it passes Witch-hat house - a lovely little Victorian done in shades of silver-grey with a circular portion ending in a conical tower roof.
Once past the Witch-hat, the park is on the right and I rest my eyes on the arched bridge to nowhere. This is of vital necessity - to prepare them for ... The Ugly Step-sisters. These are also two Victorian houses, large ones with full wrap-around porches, beautifully proportioned. Unfortunately ... They have been done up as Painted Ladies. In shades that I call "bodily function greens and browns". I'll leave you to imagine.
Unfortunately, also, that's not the worse of it. The smaller of the two (the younger step-sister, I would suppose) is done in vinyl siding. First time I noticed that, I had an accident and totaled the car. Very seriously. It was in a blizzard of wet, heavy, sticky snow and I was so startled I didn't check the speed when approaching a curve and ... I made my mark on the area.
After the Ugly Step-sisters, Witch-hat Road becomes the mundane Brigham Road - where the high school is located. I was sort of forced to learn that name. BUT ... there is a cross-roads beyond the high school and a four-way stop that signals the start of the Gargoyle Way. The road narrows, greenery presses in on both sides, there is a quiet pool (fences and private) off to the right, speed slows and not many vehicles come this way. And at the end of the Way is Edwin - the dog-faced gargoyle. He sits on a cut-off stump, dourly guarding his chosen home, with vines and ivy growing all around him and hiding him somewhat.
The road makes a 90 degree turn there (well, strictly speaking, you can go straight, but that's a dirt private road and they might look at you askance if you continued that way. And we know that askance glances can hurt when followed by trespassing charges).
This bit of a dog-leg is Murder Row. A woman's body was found at the far end of it. Just past the gate which had been festooned with police tape, the road makes another 90 degree turn, correcting the previous direction change, and past the highway overhead it becomes... well, I call it Donald Trump because I know it's Donald someone and all the businesses and the Mall and the bookstore are located along here.
Coming home, I take my life into my hands along the Egger Route - the highway. If you've read Witches of Karres, you will understand the reference.
It's a strange thing though - I had been saying hey to Edwin for about a year before I thought to mention it to my family. And in all the time we'd driven past him, none of them had ever noticed his presence. They thought I was imagining it!
Hmmmm....
I usually know where I'm going too. I want to describe my favorite route to the bookstore - starting from the library.
First to the library on Woods Square - which is round. That amuses me so much that I always remember it. Furthermore, Woods Square is a ROUND-ABOUT. I adore round-abouts. They are the greatest because they make sense. Even if someone decides that the rules don't apply to him, there are enough people who are cautious about round-abouts that even I can use them without trouble.
So, I go around the circle at Woods Square and head toward Technology Drive, except I'm not going there - I veer off just past the Castle (National Guard Armory). I call this road Witch-hat Road because it passes Witch-hat house - a lovely little Victorian done in shades of silver-grey with a circular portion ending in a conical tower roof.
Once past the Witch-hat, the park is on the right and I rest my eyes on the arched bridge to nowhere. This is of vital necessity - to prepare them for ... The Ugly Step-sisters. These are also two Victorian houses, large ones with full wrap-around porches, beautifully proportioned. Unfortunately ... They have been done up as Painted Ladies. In shades that I call "bodily function greens and browns". I'll leave you to imagine.
Unfortunately, also, that's not the worse of it. The smaller of the two (the younger step-sister, I would suppose) is done in vinyl siding. First time I noticed that, I had an accident and totaled the car. Very seriously. It was in a blizzard of wet, heavy, sticky snow and I was so startled I didn't check the speed when approaching a curve and ... I made my mark on the area.
After the Ugly Step-sisters, Witch-hat Road becomes the mundane Brigham Road - where the high school is located. I was sort of forced to learn that name. BUT ... there is a cross-roads beyond the high school and a four-way stop that signals the start of the Gargoyle Way. The road narrows, greenery presses in on both sides, there is a quiet pool (fences and private) off to the right, speed slows and not many vehicles come this way. And at the end of the Way is Edwin - the dog-faced gargoyle. He sits on a cut-off stump, dourly guarding his chosen home, with vines and ivy growing all around him and hiding him somewhat.
The road makes a 90 degree turn there (well, strictly speaking, you can go straight, but that's a dirt private road and they might look at you askance if you continued that way. And we know that askance glances can hurt when followed by trespassing charges).
This bit of a dog-leg is Murder Row. A woman's body was found at the far end of it. Just past the gate which had been festooned with police tape, the road makes another 90 degree turn, correcting the previous direction change, and past the highway overhead it becomes... well, I call it Donald Trump because I know it's Donald someone and all the businesses and the Mall and the bookstore are located along here.
Coming home, I take my life into my hands along the Egger Route - the highway. If you've read Witches of Karres, you will understand the reference.
It's a strange thing though - I had been saying hey to Edwin for about a year before I thought to mention it to my family. And in all the time we'd driven past him, none of them had ever noticed his presence. They thought I was imagining it!
Hmmmm....