Without Fences
There’s a geek phrase that goes, “Without fences and walls, who needs Gates and Windows?” And really it’s a great question. It posists that if the world were “open” and not walled off into proprietary, closed source systems we would need Bill and Co. I got to thinking about this, not because I’ve spent way too much time using the software of exclusion lately, but because my “neighbor” is installing a fence.
The thing about this fence is that it’s not the first fence to go up within spitting distance of where I park – the first really needs a separate post since it’s just that funny. My parking space is in the alley right next to my “front” door. I live on the second story in this red building that looks like an old barn. The entrance to my place is really in the alley and I have a walk up a flight of stairs to my “other” front door. It’s kind of like I’m an old time immigrant with a business downstairs – except these days the business isn’t mine. Right next to my truck is usually the fam-mobile – the minivan. Since the first fence grew up on the other side of the alley from me, the Cancer thrift shop has had to park on “my side” of the alley.
I guess that didn’t go over well with the owners of the flooring shop so they are moving their fence to be right next to the alley, right in line with their building. That’s gonna be fun. Here’s what I see happening. These guys with their nasty lot full of weeds and pallets of aging floor materials are going to use all of “their” space. Then 5:30 Tuesday morning when the Waste Managment truck rolls down the alley to empty the dumpster the driver is going to curse them. He’s going to have to work even harder to avoid the fences and phone lines when he cranks that green monster of a garbage can twenty feet up into the air. Assuming that he is so good he never drops anything on the truck and the fam-mobile and also manages to miss the danged fence I predict that big truck might just roll over the fence.
Assuming that he doesn’t roll right over that metal monstrosity, winter will be interesting. While it doesn’t snow that much all the time, there are times where it will literally snow feet. Add a snow plow down the alley (somefuggenbuddy better, four wheel drive only gets you so far) and there are two fences to sheer off right at the ground. And I’m sure the Cancer Society will be really happy about the additional fence.
