I wrote a blog several years ago about a just listed fixer-upper. The long time owners had passed and a family member listed the property for sale. I showed the house several times. I liked it and the location. Somebody bought it and later renovated it.
That house was on a lock box, not typical for Key West. I got to the house a bit early, turned on the lights, opened the doors to make the place as inviting as possible. The entire house was dusty and smelly. I don't know how long it had been since anyone lived there. I remember it felt like the place had been vacant for years. My customers had bought a couple houses from me before and seemed interested in this place. I left them alone to explore and talk. I noticed several dusty photo albums in the room upstairs. I did a nosey. There were family photos of the kids playing ball on the street in front of the house and other photos of the neighborhood. I loved that. Then there were photos of some of the family members in New York City taken during or just after World War II.
Then I saw something odd - many (not a few or several) photos of what I assume were family members sleeping - in a hotel room in New York City and later back in Key West. Lots and lots of candid sleeping photos. The above pic is an example and not of the photos I saw. I thought these were beyond quirky - more like fetish photos. This just was not normal. That's all. There is no point to this tale of Key West other than I should not have opened the photo album. I know that.
Ah, similar story. A few years back a realtor friend called me about an as is “shack” for sale in old town a few streets away. He knew I’m always looking at investments, good, bad, or ugly. I knew the owner. We exchanged hellos now and then, nothing more. I also knew he was a methamphetamine user from his numerous appearances on the Monroe sheriff website. The owner had passed.
ReplyDeleteWell I meet at the “shack” for a walk through. Roof was a tarp. The interior was worse then the exterior if that can be imagined. Floors and walls wood planks, no drywall, no insulation, electric wiring exposed to. Kitchen consisted of a farm sink, water lines exposed also. Bed consisted of wood planks, no mattress. I was amazed a living human could call this home.
I passed on this one, and funny this place was purchased cash, and is still in condition it was years back. I think it’s being lived in.
Only in Key West.
You call it a tale without a point. I call it a slice of life in Key West. One I wouldn't have known about had you not shared it. Thank you for doing so. And thanks to the gentleman who authored the comment above. I enjoyed reading that as well.
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