Wallly Update

An update to the Mystery on 94th Street, you know, Wally? I've found myself puzzled because Wally hasn't been as in-n-out as usual. In fact, I hadn't seen Wally do his usual back and forth routine for weeks. I was feeling sad at the possibility of not being able to solve the mystery before we moved. But then...

Well, I was putting some boxes into my SUV yesterday and "Wally", the neighbor across the street heads out of his house, not to his distinctive orange pick-up with the pop-up camper, but to his old maroon mid-60's Buick. I quickly race into the house, grab the keys, and jump into my car to follow him. I'm thinking "this is my lucky day!" (I neglected to pick up my purse with my driver's license so I'm very glad I didn't attract the police during my foray into the detective world.)

I pull out just behind Wally and he guns it through the pink light (yellow turning to red) and Darn! I can't follow or I'd have to run a red light! I wait about a minute as the light cycles, figuring that Wally couldn't have made it much past the Fred Meyer about a 1/2 mile up the road. I speed up James Street hoping to catch a glimpse. Nothing. He had totally disappeared. I circled around a bit looking into parking lots and side streets; to no avail. Wally had escaped.

Wally is sneaky. Clearly we need to setup a true surveillance operation.

Hopefully more on this soon.

Mystery on 94th Street

Well our time here on 94th street in Kent is drawing to a close. Our original plan was to live here only 2 years (to pick up on the tax break) but it ended up being just a tad over 3 years. I am not sad to be going. While I've really liked being close to shopping and a ton of restaurants, it is too noisy for me and I am excited to be heading further south to the quietude of Sumner.

However, there is a mystery that we have to uncover before we leave.

As I sit in my home office, day after day, I've been beyond puzzled about the behaviors of the old guy who lives across the street; I'll call him Wally. Wally owns an old orange pick-up truck with an battered camper perched on the back, complete with a padlock dangling off the back door. Now Wally is very quiet. He doesn't peel out and race off down the road. He isn't creepy and peering out of his always-closed-curtains nor does he simply sit on his porch and stare at everyone as they go by. No, Wally simply comes and goes. That's it: just comes and goes.

Wally takes off in his truck, sometimes as often as a dozen times a day. And, get this, he's only gone for a few minutes each time! Where is he going? What is he doing?

Wally has been the source of much speculation at our house. Where does he go? Why is he gone such a short time? Does he run a business on Ebay and go to the post office 10 times a day? If so, why wouldn't he just save up his stuff and go once? Maybe his toilet doesn't work and he has prostate trouble. One idea was that he is a drug dealer meeting shady characters away from his house (and his sick sister who is bed ridden - that part is true). Maybe he has a drinking problem and he grabs a quick glass at the Golden Steer.

So our family has decided that before we move, we're going to do some surveillance on dear Wally. We have to solve this mystery on 94th street.

I can just see it now. Several of us in our cars posted at various intersections with walkie talkies at the ready.

Kat: PSHSHSHTT [insert strange white noise] ...James, what's your position?


James: PSHSHSHTT...I'm on 100th and James - ready!


Mandy (Daniel driving): PSHSHSHTT...Dad, you're supposed to say "roger", not ready!


Ricky (Rosie riding shotgun & Judah sleeping peacefully in the carseat): PSHSHSHTT...No! You only say "roger" when you're agreeing to something.


Kat: PSHSHSHTT...whatever guys! What's your positions?


James: PSHSHSHTT...100th and James. Roger, 10/4, or whatever I'm supposed to say!


Mandy: PSHSHSHTT... We're at the Fred Meyer. Over and Out!


Ricky & Rosie Team: PSHSHSHTT...(Rosie's voice this time) I feel so dumb. We're at 104th and James by the Taco Bell [Ricky heard in background "I'll take two double taco's with extra hot sauce, a Dr. Pepper, and a..."]


Kat: I'm here on the cross street. I can clearly see his driveway and will give the go when he leaves. Everybody be ready to follow for your section of the route. Don't forget to fall back when the next team takes over. Everybody ready??


James: PSHSHSHTT... Roger!
Mandy/Daniel: PSHSHSHTT...10/4! [giggle giggle] Daniel! Stop! Not now! I mean Ready!


Ricky/Rosie: PSHSHSHTT...[sluuurrp, crunch, crunch] S'good.


Kat: PSHSHSHTT...Here he comes!

We'll let you know what we find out!