Reflections

This piece was submitted from a young man who grew up in Ruston. Thanks for sharing...

Seen any cold winter's day traffic snarls yet? Any of that setting up for the big spring time community block party in celebration? Some summer sun BBQ'ing madness on a serene, pricey and privileged edge of the city's, oops sorry, town's chunk of real estate. No, not today again, it's yet another day that this little unwanted or unkempt secret remains quiet, bitter and motionless. It’s a cute mix of good old hwy 99 store fronts ready to spill out architecturally or economically and upstate New York cottage owner types who would actually sprinkle tacks in their yard to ward off unruly dogs. But just don't think I'm lying about that last part.

But above that again ask yourself this, why do the summer crowds not come around or pass through this time of year? Is it that nothings going on? Is it an 'Are you crazy'? You know we'll be the only ones driving through there and get a fat ticket to afford their dwindling budget, ya stupid hole!'. Or it must be ah 'oh you must be talking about visiting that nice place at the 'other end' of the waterfront right?' response.

No this here is still just plain old Ruston and it still has its daytime draw even in it's sorry state of repair. It had it's day for the investors of marketed homes, even all the way back when 300k was an awfully steep price to pay and surprisingly a herd of newbie Hampton type country life snobs got all settled in. Or its draw with the established locals who made it just in time to refinance their souls to stay locked in a good place that they really liked all along.

But back to the yuppies believing whatever it was their agent drummed up about the quietest end of town, the private police force, the private fire department, the shopping, the attractions, and all at that early bargain price it was or a top dollar cherry or all that seemingly ended up being at the last days of a really hot reality market. But then the word got passed around that the big bulging market went pop, the attitudes changed.

And seemingly so around that time three or so of those newbie snob types lost part of their community foresight they never had to begin with or psyched them selves up to believe that they had a actual beating heart for something of a common good. They strutted unobstructed into office, well organized, they greased wheels and blanketed the town daily with senseless deplorable slander tactics and put on a boxing glove show for their new little town that could. Maybe the last place they lived beat them down like an evil stepfather, maybe it was as bland as some zip codes not worth mentioning and that's all they knew to bring to the table, truth is no one really knows what happened to them before this point, but in all likelihood it was sick and wrong enough to cause the towns current status.

All that's evident is that which has blobbed up into a monster force is now snuffing out any and all possible visualizations of what Rustonites were with their own twisted brand of we're all here now and we are all that you were really waiting for or could ever wish for. Yes that's right I that bought in, I like it, its how it is now and I intend to be in power enough to keep it that way. Tough talking like a brawl from a 1920' silent movie, with the funny fighting stance and all. Comical I know and all happing here where views and water proximities sell by the pound anywhere else. Share some, of course not.

Either today is quiet nap time again, a new devolution for new addresses and residents could also be calling this the quiet peaceful years before the eventual and timely labored involvement of progressive businesses and new government sticks their necks out again for a cooperative assortment of what the vision has been and still will be one day.

It’s time to pull out the blueprints again. Have you ever seen the traffic here when its 80 degrees outside? I have too and I think its a beautiful thing, and they too must have came from far off in droves to get in a non honking two lane line to witness the same thing that I've seen all along, 'that's that it actually is very, very beautiful place'. who here is local enough know what time of year its safe to 'attempt' to get a walk-in table at a waterfront establishment and when its a plain stupid idea and just smarter to get a pizza delivered?

Down there must be some strong pilings holding up those places, they're time tested I'd say, and currently growing or possibly even doubling their loyal patrons year by year. And for those businesses now in their ever sweetening golden years, they've earned it and they well deserve every penny of it. And it’s about finger flipping time I'd say for ‘em. And how do ya think Anthony's is faring being so close and isolated next to this politically repugnant dead end town. Uh, that's a big ten to one compared to the waterfront, yea over.

Yea back in the 80's this place seemed to be bigger than life, and growing up here as a kid was truly an amazing time, through the 90's I witness its growth and I'd thought it'd never quit, and around 2000ish I learned its growth wasn't close to or even planning on quiting, it was about growth and, 'a lot was going to happen', or so they were saying. So what exactly went and stopped it all, some facts here please... the Asarco bankruptcy went through ok. the super fund did all its superfunding. New yards went in, new homes went up, yea yippie. Lots and lots of dirt got pushed around in costly preparation. Final plans were drafted, new parks and business and boardwalks were all drooled over and what!?

The house you moved into wasn't four stories to begin with. That some progressive code you could pass might impede your views. Impede your way of life. 'Your' neighborhood? And currently what kind of views are we talking about here? The lcd view your staring at right now, the plasma screen you'll be eating dinner in front of tonight or the view that's a two min drive away, and that's including time it takes to warm up your car. The one view of quiet vashon where the three unnamed should have bought into but ferry costs put the cheep bastard in their cheep spineless bastard repor.

Ya know, only New York’s central park boasts a bigger intercity park. Yes intercity. And has it also missed your ears that the old Asarco land is now and --still the biggest commercial real estate property up for development in the Puget Sound that could also sometime last year have been connecting the two for mentioned local natural wonders of our little world together in one non stop belt of ... ah hell... why am I telling you? do you know that the first buildings were slated to be built in '07 but governmentally mishandled at every impasse possibly due to a lets us in charge be so bias and keep this 'little feeling' town 'little'.

Ya know if I had one wish for your vision of Ruston, Point Defiance and the Waterfront,.. It'd be that you' enjoy it fully, grow old and die here. and at that point the walkers, joggers, runners, bikers, in liners, stampeding children and crapping ducks and geese will haunt your sorry afterlife in high speed pursuit of what tranquility you've selfishly robbed them of, and that robbed them if even just for a day. Oh and p.s. all three of your nice sides look suspiciously fake as well.