Monday, January 31, 2005

Getting Worse

Things are getting worse in the Burkleigh Square community. Saturday night there were 12 shirtless college guys running up and down York Road in the freezing rain, screaming at the top of their lungs. They first went by at 12:30 am, then at 1:00 am, then at 2:30 am. The last time I turned on my porch light and went outside and they yelled "fuck you asshole!" at me as they ran by.

I want out. We are officially looking for houses again, which sucks, because I love our house and would like nothing better than to fix it up and make it into a showplace townhome, but what's the point of having a showplace in a dung heap? [Thanks to the Earl of Pembroke for that link, BTW.] I'm willing to give up my status as pedestrian--fuck the convenience of Towson living if I have to put up with drunken morons all the time.

Cha wants to buy another house and keep this one too as an investment/rental property. That may be worthwhile, but it would also entail big fucking headaches, including two mortgages.

Oh, and speaking of the Earl--he emailed me last week that the RD and DM for Borders 043 were supposed to announce officially today that the Towson store was moving up to Lutherville. About damn time! Christ, what that poor store has been through the last six or seven years. Give it a chance to succeed again. It'll be weird to have that retail space empty, though--all the couples who met there, all the friends made there. It's still weird to drive past Hunt Valley Mall and see that it doesn't exist any more (that's where Cha and I met).







12 comments:

Marc J. Hampton said...

Dude, webmasters charge guys like me $29.95 so I can look at "shirtless college guys." 1920s house, college boys, no more Borders...Towson sounds like an ideal place for Matt and I to settle down.

Tell you what, you sell me that wonderful house of yours. I want it!

Wait, what happened to Hunt Valley? Last I heard it was an outlet mall. Did they tear it down?!

Geoff said...

Having seen your design work, this house would be lucky to have you--I can see the bookshelves and moldings and classic shaded light fixtures already!

Remember those original 20's kitchen cabinets? Still here, and still with a sheet of tan fake marble linoleum for a countertop, too.

Let's see:

NYC Marc happy, relatively prosperous, married, and in possession of a true calling.

Towson Marc punching cars while crossing York Road, Marc confronting Amy Dearborn, Marc being accused of plagiarism.

And you want to come back here?

You want to live within walking distance of Angel's Grotto?

"Hotel time!" Charlie, world's worst surly barkeep.

Geoff said...

Oh, and yes, Hunt Valley was demolished from Wal-Mart West to Sears--they're building The Avenue at Hunt Valley now.

Geoff said...

Which means, of course, that The Avenue at White Marsh will now go out of business, just as Hunt Valley Mall did when White Marsh Mall was redone and The Avenue at White Marsh opened, and in five or six years The Avenue at White Marsh will be replaced by an enclosed mall which will then close down The Avenue at Hunt Valley.

And all these fucking places have the same goddam shops.

Anonymous said...

Towson is such a cesspool! Kids today, etc!

I'm glad the damn store is finally moving. Wonder what will go in there?

Emily

Nick said...

My new Batcave. For the past seven years I have been slowly modifying Bill Wosowski's mug with acid so that now he resembles Polyphemus. He will now haunt that space Phantom of the opera style--his all seeing eye of Sauron will decimate anyone who dares enter. None will build there. The whole land is brimstone and salt, a burning; it shall not be sown and shall not sprout, neither shall any herb spring up in it as in the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah, of Admah and Zeboiim....grrahh!!!!

Geoff said...

He NOW resembles Polyphemus? What did he resemble before?

Bill W. forlornly riding the Chesapeake elevator up and down ad infinitum, Eric Awesome pestering him about water bottles, Joe F. ignoring 2nd floor bookseller pages, Doogie kicking holes in the cash office wall, Sara H. huffing Clorox trying to clean purple hairdye out of the bathroom sink and passing out on the steps, Martin G. saying "Oh Don't Even" when you tell him Darrin spooged the staff coffee, Joe T. dipping Utz and choc chip cookies in icing, Pattie McC in a thong and mini shelving Western Philo, a big confrontation with AB when I kicked him out/Tomato Boy/Earth Wind & Fire/Dancing Man etc, etc. Conniption in the sort bin or on the HVAC ducts--so much weird shit in that place.

Nick said...

Shhhhhesssshaaaaaaaaa.....!!!!!!


(the skirling of the wind through backstock)

Geoff said...

Tinged with that wet grease/fried food odor so familiar from my other shitty job at McD's.

I wonder if the ceiling in receiving is still full of hunting VHS tapes?

Marc J. Hampton said...

hunting videos in the drop ceiling...

I just had the heartiest belly laugh so far this century. Thank you for that memory.

I just hope there is still a giant eye carved underneath Info One.

Marc J. Hampton said...

Angels Grotto. "Hotel Time."

Christ.

I may go microwave a plate of Tostitos topped with America's Choice brand cheddar cheese, just for old times sake.

Geoff said...

On special occasions Charlie would use Doritos instead of Tostitos, and top them with cheese and microwave them.

And that popcorn from 1962!