April 18, 2011
Empty psychedelics
When I first saw the day-glo mailbox at 366 and Freese Road, I thought I was hallucinating. As it's stayed there, however, it's become clear that despite the colors, it's not a hallucination, but more a case of wearing a scarlet letter proudly. Boldly announcing itself as "Mount Varna", residents' harsh term for the pile, it reminds everyone who knows the story that there's been ugliness here for a long time. And the cryptic SWPPP on the top adds a touch of mystery, that might lead someone (who can get past the big "US Mail" on the front of the box) to open it.
Always empty mailbox.
There's nothing in it! There's supposed to be a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan in there (I think this one), but there isn't. I've checked it repeatedly over the course of the week, most recently this morning, and it just stays empty. It even blew over Saturday and was righted today, but still remains empty. (Yes, the Town is aware of its emptiness.)
I'm hard-pressed to come up with a more brilliant joke on the Town and Varna residents than this. Forced by the Town to do something, put up a vibrant protest that's nearly impossible to miss, while pretending that it's actually there because the Town wants it. Then leave out the substance, the reason that the whole thing is supposed to be there. Hopefully they'll take a more constructive approach to the remediation work itself than to the notification.
Unfortunately, even brilliant mockery isn't always funny. The message of this joke seems to be "hey look at me, I can do whatever I want!", and that's not exactly a great foundation for a long-term conversation.
On the bright side, you can now rent barbecue equipment (and maybe order more made) from the trailer parked on the corner:
BBQ equipment for rent.
Note on photos