I was driving a potential buyer to an appointment one afternoon many years ago when he asked to stop at this house and ask the owner if he or she would sell it. I said that is not how it is done. He insisted so we got out of my car, entered the yard, knocked on the door, and introduced ourselves.
I had a "run-in" with the elderly woman owner a couple years prior when she told me I could not park in the public space in the street. I would see her from time to time sweeping the sidewalk as her house seemed to look as if it might fall down. I was surprised that the woman was so friendly that day - friendly to the extent she did not threaten me with her broom that is. She told us the house was not for sale but then retold her life story over the next forty-five to sixty minutes. It was fascinating to hear the stories of how the Island of Key West had changed. She later passed away without having a will. Her son later tried to sell the house and reap the forturne he thought he had coming. He died and his widow tried to reap it. The house was priced too high and went through several real estate companies and many refused offers before it was sold.
I took photos of the house and wrote about it in my blog. The house appears much larger than it actually is.
I dug through my old shoe box and found photos I took of the master bedroom where there was a broken chair on one side and a table with a wash basin and slop jar. There was a bathroom adjacent. I really don't think the slop jar was for show.
The house was taken apart and put back together bit by bit. The city hovered over the renovation making sure every dollar that could be spent was spent. And more.
I will never forget the old lady telling me I could not park my car on a public street. I wonder what she would think about her lifelong home.
The new owners purchased the smaller homes on either side and renovated those as well. They are in the final phase of renovating a large house on the opposite side of the street.
