KOSEY CORNER
Prior to last week’s column I was asked by people if I had written about the monsoon – rain, torrent or whatever you choose to call it. I replied that I had not, preferring to go with the more timely and upbeat subject of July 4. I knew the Landmark would handle it more than adequately, which it did, complete with pictures.
After my column appeared last week, I still got a few questions in reference to why I had not written about all the water that deluged Riverside both from above and below. So here is my take on the week that was.
I was one of the very, very fortunate people that had power and only a little seepage. However, in all my years in Riverside and on Selborne Road I saw what I had never seen before and would not like to see again. Selborne Road looked like a location shoot for A River Runs Through It.
As I stood outside my front door, I could imagine what it must be like for those down south as the waters came towards their homes. I watched Lake Selborne rise over the curbs, flooding the parkways, then go over the sidewalk and inch its way up the front lawn.
I watched as cars persisted on driving through the lake, some being smart enough to turn back just to be safe. Then again someone wanted to try a different approach and that was to drive across the neighbors’ and our front lawn. Yelling at her to turn back was not met with the reaction I had hoped for. Instead she jumped out of her car screaming it was on fire, Husband Joe explain it was merely steam. Needless to say, her car had conked out and had to be pushed.
The damage the storm brought came in the form of power outages, flooded basements, trees falling across roadways, fallen branches. As I drove around the next day it was clear I was seeing something I had never witnessed in Riverside before and hope to never see again.
Parkways were covered with what used to be part of people’s lives. There was so much carpeting ruined even the “guys” in the commercial could not have saved it.
