As everyone knows, Gabe got tossed off his property this week here in West Asheville. The final straw was unpaid property taxes. I am sure there was adequate warning and the county followed procedure and all that, still it seems harsh, especially given the cold weather this week.Is Gabe a nut? Possibly.
I see a guy living the way all the green hipsters say they want to live. He rode a bike everywhere. His goats kept his grass cut and provided him food and fertilizer for his garden. He bartered most everything, and I am sure no cash was hidden in a safe somewhere.
As the many times Jamie and I have walked by there on our way to or from school, he has always been pleasant to us.
The sad thing is all the reactions I have heard are variations on "you have to pay your taxes!" I wonder if he had been a little more outgoing, if he had been a pagan, a regular guy at the pub every day... would the reaction be different?
You bet it would.
Asheville is a great place because we tolerate nuts like Gabe. Or maybe it used to be.
Whatever the new owner, Buncombe Realty is going to cram in there. it is, it will not be as interesting walking with my daughter to school anymore.
3 comments:
You're right. I wish I had known about this earlier. Something could have been organized, perhaps, to help out with the tax bill. It should not have to had been paid, but I wish I could of helped out in getting it paid.
you know, it's funny. i assume people living like this won't be bothered.
Great image. It tells the story, don't you think?
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