Marian passed away a month ago, at nearly one hundred years of age. In our 25 years as neighbors, she and I had only once, had one encounter. She was that neighborhood celebrity of sorts, a true recluse, rarely appearing in daylight - and living behind a mass of unkempt overgrowth, a jungle, in a darkened house un-seeable from the road.
In a very rare sighting about 10 years ago, Knuckles and I were headed out our side gate, when I spotted what I thought was her in the near distance. Dressed in a gown and old bathrobe, Marian was at her mailbox, yet hadn't noticed our approach. Then suddenly looking up, without warning, she starting screaming as loud as possible, "HELP, HELP. There's A Dog, HELP - PLEASE HELP". We tried, but couldn't console her in any form, so we both turned back, headed home. Everyday since, while walking past that same mailbox, Knuckles and I both stop, turn to look, and wonder what could be down that darkened driveway, and in that unforeseen house.
Directly across the road from Marian's property is a newly constructed custom home on 1 1/4 acres, with nearly 18,000 feet of living area - and two years in the making. This new, young family are almost as reclusive as their neighbor Marian, but in a more troubling, and arrogant way. (Rumor has it, that the house was built all with cash). There's supposedly a central American connection, but again it's all neighborhood talk. My one-and-only encounter with the new homeowner, the father, was him roaring past me at my mailbox in a black Lamborghini. And me, as I saw him come roaring, having to lean back away from the road. Their new monument, as seen from across our shared lagoon, also appears darkened - rarely a light on. Rumor again, and apparently true - it's their second home.
After Marian's recent death, her family appeared from out-of-state, did an extensive property clearing and major yard clean-up - and posted by the road, a simple, hardware store type, 'for sale' sign.
Finally, a cleared street view of "The (fabled) Gables" where out-of-state family members are preparing for a sale.
The new neighbor's property, directly across from Marion's old home, have incorporated the latest in high-tech
security - where cameras are discreetly hidden in the trees and a consistent, blinking monitored gate, uses a highly secure video
'call' box. No one that I know of (from our neighborhood) has ever spoken or met with the family. This past Spring, this large custom-built home facing out onto Robert's Bay, again well hidden from the street view, quietly went on the market - and now, is listed at 16.4 million dollars. The highest ever recorded on Siesta Key.
