Division Day Looms

The day of the public hearing about dividing our Double Hovel property is Wednesday. That's tomorrow, as I type this. Hick has been fidgety about making sure of the date. Even though the date was on a sticky note that the city secretary gave him, and on the letter that was approved for him to hand out. Somehow he got it in his head that MONDAY was the day. But no. Double- and triple-checking revealed that it was not.

Hick has a buddy on the commission that will make the final decision. The Buddy is not giving any clues, as it should be. He does answer basic questions. Says these hearings usually last about 15 minutes. That Hick needs to be there, in case citizens show up and have questions. Or in case the commission has questions. The fee has been paid that was required to request the variance. Paperwork was turned in. I can't think of anything else that would throw a monkey wrench into the proceedings, short of Hick putting his foot in his mouth. He's pretty good about NOT doing that with city officials.

Anyhoo... Hick was startled on Monday when Denizen, his one-time good friend at the Senior Center, who turned into his enemy for unknown reasons, started talking about this hearing. She has been talking to Hick a little over the past month. He doesn't know why. Thinks maybe she's mad at somebody else. Anyhoo... Denizen told Hick:

"I read your paperwork for your variance. It was FIVE PAGES LONG!"

"I only gave them one letter. It was one page."

"There was a letter in it, too."

Hick didn't pursue the subject. But he was a bit displeased when he got home.

"How did she even know anything about it? She doesn't live around that property. She didn't get a letter handed to her about the hearing. She's not on the commission. So she had NO BUSINESS getting ahold of your papers."

"Yeah. I know. But I didn't say that."

"Well. I'm sure we both know how she got it. She's married to The Buddy! I guess she just read it thinking she was entitled. I can't imagine him discussing it with her, since he's not sharing anything with you about it, and he's always been nice to you."

"Yeah. He's not giving anything away."

"I'm really glad she's been talking to you again. Because if she was still being mean, it wouldn't surprise me if she told somebody to go there and complain, just so you couldn't get your variance!"

"Nothing would surprise me."

"If you get denied, I'd have a fit, and make a complaint that some random citizen read you variance request that should have been just for the city commission."

"I don't see why they have any reason to deny the variance. I guess we'll find out."

"And FIVE PAGES? That's the pages of the code telling you how to go about requesting a variance, I'm pretty sure. That packet that you brought home, that I went through and made sure your letter had answered all the requirements."

"I'm sure that was it, too."

The meeting is late in the afternoon. I'll let you know how it goes.