Shack Sweet Shack

I know we have all seen abandoned houses or shacks, especially in rural areas. Many of the ones I’ve seen were liven in by single old men. These men maintained their homes until they were physically unable to because of age. As pensioners they could not afford contractors either. They lived in their homes and together they and their homes became old and decrepit.

When the old men moved because they were no longer able to care for themselves, or when they died their homes only seem to last a few more years before a slow steady collapse began or before the local fire brigade used their home in a fire training exercise.

There was one of these homes next to me when I first moved here. I recall seeing the old carpenter that lived there. We waved to one another on occasion but we never spoke. He was old and frail and moved in with his daughter shortly after I arrived. I made some attempts to buy his home and property after he moved out, but the family wasn’t interested in selling. The house sat empty for years and then one Tuesday night the Lewis and Clark Fire Department arrived for their fire exercise. The blaze lit up the October evening sky. I could feel the heat three hundred feet away. It was sad to see that a once loved home turned to ash.

A part of me is heart broken when I see this because I can project myself and my home into that same future. My home keeps me warm and safe and has done the same for people for 85 years. I’ve made many additions and improvements to it over the years as has each previous owner. I hope there is someone to continue living in my home long after me.