I have a story to tell - one that I would have never believed.
A year ago an RV ran into the side of Heart 'n Home's building and the Dallenbach building. Like...slammed into it! It was at 6:20 pm on a Thursday night. My best friend had just stopped by for a visit as I was processing flowers for a few funerals in the next few days. Our door was still open and lights all on.
All of a sudden BAM!!! We looked at each other - you know that look - like...was that an explosion? what just happened?
We both ran towards the front of the store. I opened the door and a gal was standing on the sidewalk in front of me looking towards Dallenbach's building screaming "my momma, my momma". I looked in the direction she was...and there was an RV on its side. The rush of the smell of gasoline hit my nose and I stepped inside to process. My cellphone was in my hand before I realized it and called 911.
Within a minute I opened the door back up to see if the gal needed help...but she was gone. Instead was a man standing there screaming at me to get the hell out of the building. Stepped back in and processed the thoughts. Do I lock the door? What if emergency personnel needed to get in? Do I unplug the lights? Good idea...spark with the smell (which was now coming into our store). Furnace? Yes...turn that off. Leave flowers. Get out.
After a while of milling outside away from the accident - I decided I better go home and relax. Around 10:00 pm I got a call from dispatch saying I need to lock up my building. I went in thru the backdoor...not turning on lights. The first thing that hit me was the strong smell of gasoline all the way to the backdoor. I went up front to lock and took the darker pictures below.
What I forgot to take was the pictures of all the dead flowers I had when I walked into the store at 5:00 am to get fresh air in. Luckily, I made a lot of phone calls and other florists helped me out. There went over $1,000 down the drain.
What do I know today?
I don't know much. I don't know how the two ladies in the RV ever turned out.
But one thing I did want to clear up. I don't own this building. For over 18 years I have rented (with two sets of amazing landlords). Unfortunately, the landlord is having discussions with the insurance company...so nothing is settled. The tile is still falling off the building...the window is still shattered. I often get asked why I haven't done anything to fix the building...am I just pocketing the money? Don't I care about downtown? No...I haven't pocketed any money...no one has. Yes, I do care about downtown - this is simply out of my hands.
