Van Halen 'A Different Kind Of Truth'

You know, I’m often surprised at some of the things that bother people. Insignificant things can really chap a person’s hide. And I should know, because some inconsequential things can really give me a rash all over my sexy body.

There has been one particular thing that has me scratching my head…

The Chigger and her oldest son, Sam, have a real problem with a truck being parked in front of the house. The truck is a large, diesel-powered behemoth with four wheels on the rear axle. Those are referred to as “dualies”. We have given our neighbor the nickname of “Dualie”.

We live on a cul-de-sac and for the most part, it’s peaceful. There’s very little traffic and everyone seems friendly enough. But that truck parked in front of the house on pavement that belongs to ALL of us really irks them to no end.

Sam was the first one to say something, “I wish Dualie would park his truck in his own yard.”

“But the cul-de-sac belongs to all of us,” I said. “They’ve run out of parking in their own yard.”

And that’s true. They’re vehicles must be reproducing like rabbits. One day there were only three vehicles. Then there were five or six parked up and down the driveway with one or two more parked in the cul-de-sac. Toss in the occasional visitor(s) and there would be seven or eight vehicles. Sometimes it’s like an automotive orgy right out there in the open. Doing ungodly things like parking on the grass and heaven forbid… Parking in front of our house on publicly owned pavement.

As you may have picked up on, this is not one of life’s little worries for me. I don’t care. I’ve lived in the big city of Greensboro. I understand the concept of publicly owned streets where everyone has a right to park legally where they please. If it’s in front of my house, so be it.

The two that the parked truck bothers says things like…

“Why can’t they park in their yard?”

“It’s spoiling the view.”

“Why couldn’t they ask before they parked in front of the house?”

“It’s in the way. I can barely get in the other driveway.” (We rarely use that other driveway)

“It’s parked across from their house.”

“I’m tired of seeing that big-ass truck.”

“Parking in the cul-de-sac is against City Ordinance Section 8 paragraph 17.”

Personally, I cannot understand why it’s such a big deal to them. Sure, it’s been parked there without moving for a week now. But I look at it as a deterrent for would be thieves. The truck gives the impression that someone is home or at the very least working at our home.

I don’t even understand why the City of King has a problem with parking in a cul-de-sac. It may just be the fact that we don’t have curbs, I don’t know. I’ve heard that it’s about City vehicles that come around to do the weekly things that they do, I don’t know. It’s not like parking there would disrupt the flow of traffic.

Another neighbor was told by the police that parking the front end of their cars between the pavement and the ditch would be within the City Ordinance. Sure, they’re wearing away the grass but they’re within the legal realm of things.

It just doesn’t bother me. It’s not like there’s much of a view anyway. Unless one of the neighbors is walking around in a bikini, I just don’t care. I’ve got other views to see… Like the ones on our Hi-Def television.