Life and Island Times July 19 2016 – Twilight Peculiar

This one is from the spring of 2014.

——————–

Marlow and W had feasted at their Wednesday supper and felt the need for a brief walk in the early twilight. They chose a path that led to the peculiar on alleys, main streets, corners and the front yard.

Just across from their Catherine Street home they turned down Knowles Lane. The lane’s cottages and shacks allow walkers to see the city’s old world flair from long ago. Several of these homes appear to have been built by ship master carpenters who used wooden pegs in the place of nails. Hand hewn balusters and gingerbread are still visible along with corner brackets and sculpted columns.

Its former alley narrowness was softened by the lane’s blooming bushes and trees color and scent. A black and white cat awaited their exit. Its unusual friendliness should have warned them of what awaited them ahead.

Turning left on United Street, they found the city’s first masonry high school, now almost a century old was being renovated into the home offices for the city’s entire administration staff, which is now scattered across the city.

1920’s postcard of the original Key West High School
(courtesy of the Key West Public Library)

Five minutes later despite the dusk’s deepening purple hues, they spotted an amazingly large house on the south side of the street that was hidden by impenetrably thick, sidewalk foliage. The home was further concealed by an ancient kapok tree whose leaves completely obscured the triple sized lot. They had chanced seeing the home only with the aid of the incandescent light streaming from the mansion’s windows that was able to pierce the green landscape camouflage.

A block later they spied this odd sight.

A cellphone’s flash light allowed them to discover that this snarky sculptural oddity had been hiding in plain sight for over fifteen years in a Jewish temple’s parking lot.

Heading for home, they trod along narrow streets choked with cars which parked on the two foot wide sidewalks so as to not completely block vehicular traffic flow. Closer inspection revealed that many of these modest sized single story homes had been turned into three, four and even five apartment complexes. With parking at a premium, they spied this hand-made sign with inimitable Conch grammar.

Parking Not Here! ?

In the aftermath of the 2008 world financial crisis, the city repeatedly harvested sizeable chunks of federal government stimulus money to repave, widen and make handicap accessible city streets and sidewalks. For many decades locals had encroached on the city’s right away with trees, fences and other structures. This led to oddities like what these strollers saw next.

In return for ceding back to the city the right away
residents extracted peculiarities like this on Virginia Street.

Steps later along Virginia Street they spotted a long unseen alley that disappeared into the darkness beyond the street lights. They promised each other its future exploration in the light of day.

Turning back onto Catherine Street, two more twilight peculiars appeared

This stumpapus had just received a fresh coat of paint in new hues

An elegant Victorian era appointed porch on Catherine Street that has never been observed occupied.

Entering their front yard gate gave provided one last peculiar. Their hurried arrangement of solar powered lights before dinner had created this scene.

Have they landed or just returned home?

Copyright © 2016 From My Isle Seat