a World full of stupid

I don't know what company I hate more, Bank of America, or my new mortgage holder Citi. My local town is not on my happy to be here list either.

I received a bill in the mail from BoA, telling me I owed service fees for an account I closed back in August. Why, because it had not been properly closed out on their end, they were still charging me fees, of 24 dollars a month to 'handle' my account. What they did for 24 dollars a month is beyond me, but at the very least after a 20 minute conversation I managed to convince them that I really had done my part to close the account. That they had not done their part to close the account was really not my problem.

Next I called Citi lending, the new holder of my mortgage. I was trying to explain to them that since my disability check now arrives on the third Thursday of the month, and they want their money on the first of each month, we have a bit of a problem. They just took control of collecting my mortgage from another company. A company that allowed me to vary the date I had them do the automatic payments from my account. So I was trying to see if they were willing to do the same as the last company, simply because they were eating a hole in my bank account by trying to obtain money that was not yet there.

The reaction, was to say the least underwhelming. They suggested I sell my house if I could not afford the payments. I explained I can afford the payments very well thank you, except I can not afford the payments on the very first day of the month. Perhaps they could oh I don't know, understand that?

Well, no they could not understand that. And it was suggested by a second person that I should sell my house. Their dates are their dates, I apparently have the choice of marching in lockstep, or living in the street. I wonder if this woman knows my X, they would get along swimmingly.

The city is not being all that helpful. They decided, some time 'before' the interest in this area as a casino, that the entire water, and sewer lines needed to be dug up. At the same time! I guess this summer my street will be just one big trench! They also want every household in the neighborhood to pull up and repair all our water and sewer lines. Not just confirm, as I can that the lines are in good repair, but dig up our yards so the city recommended contractor can look at each line and sign off that they are in good repair.

The work done on our properties is of course, on our dime.

If you can not afford to have your sewer and water lines dug up at this time, well your what's the word I am looking for, screwed. I have two choices for the water line, I can either say, I don't care about the lead in my lines, or I can say, yes dug up my yard and drive way. I have a certificate from my house inspection saying my water does not have excessive levels of lead, but that is not good enough for the town. No, they will send someone in to test my water for me, and if they find high lead levels (wanna place a bet) they will order me to do the work.

They are also doing a sewer survey, again I have to let inspectors into my home, who will test my sewer line for leaks. If they find any (wanna place a bet) I will be ordered to replace my sewer line, and dig up my yard and driveway.

Is it any wonder that three of my elderly neighbors, including a woman who has lived in her home for over 50 years, have decided to put their homes up for sale? Each one of them will most likely be tear downs, since in many cases the wiring is poor, the floors are sagging, and the houses have not been properly maintained.

Since I moved here, three houses in the neighborhood have been torn down and replaced with newer homes. I just received a new tax bill for 2008, the city considers my home has increased in value by 20,000 dollars. Quite a jump in this market, quite a jump.

Now let us consider why this jump has occurred. From my front porch I can see, and hear Revere beach, specifically Crescent Beach, a beach that the commonwealth has sunk an astonishing amount of money into. A beach that they have made very clear they want to upgrade and turn into a tourist destination. Like people come to Boston for the beaches, what are we Florida?

Yes, they are trying to force the dive bars all up and down the beach to upgrade. Rows of houses are being torn down and ten story condos being put up in their place. On what is essentially a mud flat. A mini New Orleans, without the cool music. To our east is the ocean, to the south, a marsh. To the west, the end of a river, and more marsh. If 'The Donald' gets his way, this neighborhood will be a five minute walk from a 'destination' casino. To go with the destination beach to my east. And the newly designed boardwalk, that will allow tourists to walk from the T station, to the beach, while walking past small shops and guest houses designed to bring people into Boston.

Because as everyone knows, Boston is so not a tourist destination.