White Trash at Flat Rock

 So, is this exciting or what? I got my first hate comment on this blog. That means: a. it’s reaching people and b. they are reading. Way cool.

 Too bad the commenter missed the whole point of the story and had a misspelling to boot..

• Your pointless blog will no doubt lure other dog owners and their dogs to this once-peaceful sanctuary, making it less of a sanctuary and more of a social microcosm of society complete with people and dog heirarchies, snubs, and social pyramids – none of which we need to subject ourselves or our dogs to in the setting of nature. Go find a dog park somewhere to play in and leave those of us who want to enjoy the serenity and wholesomeness of Flat Rock with our dogs alone!

In fact, I am a true believer in live and let live. All of the social (mis?)-interaction that occurs in this fiction is a reflection of our society just as she says. But the point is – it’s ridiculous. If 5 or 6 dog walkers at a time can’t find a way to co-exist peacefully for half an hour a day on hundreds of acres of public access land there is something seriously wrong with our “society.” Yeah, it would be nice if only the people and dogs you personally liked were there at any given time, but it’s not a reality unless you purchase your own acreage and prosecute trespassers. If you can afford, go for it.

Seriously though, this story and her reaction exemplifies how people in this overcrowded world fail to acknowledge there’s room and indeed a need for many different folks. Look at what’s happening at Whalom in Lunenburg. Developers are busy squeezing condo “units” on a parcel of land across the street from Whalom Lake. The plan thus far is to build two bedroom units so families won’t move in and demand services from the town. The Whalom lake shore has been a popular “destination” for area residents since the F and L Street Railroad built the amusement park a century ago. A colony of bars sprung up and still seem popular despite the closing and demolition of the park, lending the area a Hampton Beach feeling. Families gather at the fence to fish and enjoy the lake, play car radios and generally hang out. If I have time, I’ll stop, sit in the car and eat a sandwich between jobs.

The developers want to see that end. There’s about 75 parking spaces now. Their stated desire is to have less than 20 spaces and improve the “green space.” A laudable goal – at least to service the residents of the condo “units” who, incidentally, will not own the street or the lake at least to my knowledge. Heaven forbid they will see any people “not of our class, dear” near their “units.”

The strip is not pretty, but has its charm and many use the area much to the likely chagrin of these potential condo dwellers. It’s kind of like the people who used to build a McMansion in the pastoral country side and then complain about the agricultural smells and noises. As you can imagine, my heart goes out to them. Not.

It’s my guess those families who fish will be “whistling Dixie,” there will be a rash of complaints about the bars and one more accessible waterfront will become the bailiwick of a few.

BTW the information about the Whalom development comes from my recollection of recent stories in the Fitchburg Sentinel and Enterprise. I did not fact check them. Also – condos and the way they are run are sort of scary. Remember the cult 60s TV show “The Prisoner?”