This is an open letter to whoever planted the rose bushes between
the poles along Calle Katerine and the Metropolitan Water District access road. I’ve
read Sleeping Beauty.
I get the message.
I have been walking and biking the water roads for a long time. So I
was half perturbed and half heartbroken this morning when I headed out with my dog on a
path I hadn’t walked in a while. Houses had sprung up and a tall chain link gate
installed to block vehicle access to the water road. Next to the gate, just before the
first house, are four or five posts -- just enough space to let a bicycle or a person
through. In between the posts though, rose bushes have been planted. Ouch!.
According to Metropolitan Water District spokesman Rob Hallwachs,
the fences go up when there is a need, either for operations or security, and often
developers put them up. That accounts for the different types of gates you see on the six
right of ways that pass through Temecula. Usually when a development goes in, the gates go
up to let residents know they are not public right of ways. The roads are patrolled daily
to check for damage and to secure Metropolitan’s interests.
Developers like to fence them off to enhance the backside of their
home sites. I am fine with that, but the rose bushes seem to indicate a possessive
feeling. The MWD owns the land, and they don’t care if I walk my dog on it.
To me, it’s just one more sign of the times. As a lifelong
suburbanite, transplanted to this town when it only had one stop light, I understand the
fears. I have always locked my door, although many I met when I moved here to Temecula
didn’t. I want to yell out to the new homeowners and tell them, it’s okay,
it’s just me and my dog. We’re nice, get to know us.
My daughter had surgery this month and you are wondering what this
has to do with anything. Well, a small town takes care of its own. I have always known if
my family had a crisis, people in my church would help out and so would people in my
neighborhood. In Temecula though, it has always been people in the town would too. That
happened.
My daughter’s surgery was mentioned in a gathering and voila!
pocketbooks came out and money was pitched in for dinner help by way of Oscar’s gift
certificates. Some who signed the card, I knew well, some I knew of, but all wanted to
help. Is there a greater feeling? That’s what happens when we continue to try and
know each other.
I feel about Temecula the way I feel about my children. I
couldn’t and wouldn’t hold them back. They need to grow up. However, I still
insist they be polite. Take a walk on the wild side neighbor. Remove the thorns. You might
meet someone nice.