One of my favorite humorous songs from back in the day is “Harper Valley P.T.A.” by Jeannie C. Riley. This song is about a divorced single mother who is criticized in a letter from the P.T.A. secretary for wearing miniskirts and not being a responsible parent to her daughter. One of the song lines goes like this: “Shouldn’t Widow Jones be told to keep her window shades all pulled completely down.”
I’ve never run across anything like that in Lake Havasu City, but I suppose there are some homes, most likely on the ______ side of town. Yes, that was done intentionally for you to fill in the blank. If the Harper Valley P.T.A. elected officials ever came to our city on a Saturday during the summer and just walked through a grocery store, they’d have to shield their eyes. I suppose I’ve gotten used to it and don’t stare like some old guys still do.
One thing I’m guilty of is ‘garage peepin’ as it’s called around here. Thankfully, my first name isn’t Tom. If you leave your garage door up and I happen to drive by, I’ll slow down just a tad to geek. It’s not that I’m canvassing your place to rob or anything of the like. I like to point out to my wife those garages so full of stuff that nothing else will fit inside. That makes me feel better about my own mess.
I’m also on the lookout for hot rods and project cars sitting inside, either being worked on or long-overdue projects collecting dust. I spot more of the latter, it seems. There’s nothing wrong with that because I’ve been guilty of the same. This town is full of hot rods yet to hit the street, and each time a new one appears, it’s said that a bell rings. Or was that each time an angel gets wings? Whatever!
Garage peepin’ isn’t a crime yet, but I do know there are some gearheads that despise the act. I have one friend who says out loud whenever someone drives by his place and stares into his open garage, “Take a picture, Buddy!” I only quietly laugh, knowing that I’m guilty of doing the same thing as that ‘garage peeper.’
Like Widow Jones in Harper Valley, I suppose a select few folks intentionally leave their garage doors up, proud of what’s inside. The LHPD would say that’s not wise, since it gives thieves a smorgasbord view of stuff they can easily carry away. Pest control agencies would undoubtedly view this as an open door for snakes, spiders, and scorpions to walk right on in.
I always keep my garage doors down during summer and winter, as I don’t like ‘garage peepers’ looking in at my junk, while at the same time, there’s a big one already walking around inside. I suppose that makes me a peepin’ hypocrite, or somethin’ to that effect. Just don’t call me a peepin’ Tom!
I like to write junk... 