So John Gillick walked into the Gazette Tuesday to share his story with me. He lives, or used to live, at 1027 10th Street NW, which was flooded. I’d never met him before, but he seems like a pleasant guy.
Gillick said that in his hurry to evacuate on the fateful flooded Thursday he had to leave his car behind, parked at the curb in front of his place. He tried to go back to get it after getting his wife and a few of their belongings out in her car, but it was too late.
Of course, it was several days before he was allowed back into his neighborhood. Between evacuation and return, the police had his car towed away. He’s not sure exactly why and he says the police haven’t been able to give him a definitive answer. In any event, Darrah’s Towing hauled it away and it’s now sitting in impound.
Gillick would have liked to get a few bucks from the junk man for his trashed car, but it looks like he’s going to have to let Darrah’s keep it. He really needs the money, probably more than they do, but rules are rules, as we’ve all heard again and again.
“It just gripes me to no end,” said Gillick, who spent much of Tuesday trying in vain to get an explanation and maybe catch a break.
My sympathy for Gillick is compounded by the fact that his once yellow-carded house has now been red-carded. Oh, and he also owned one of the famously smashed Ellis boathouses. Oh, and he says his wife’s mother had a stroke in the middle of all this misery. Good Lord.
Sure, there are probably steps he could have taken to avoid this car mess. And yes, I know without laws there is chaos. But as an unapologetic pushover, I say give him a break and let him get a few bucks out of his car. He needs a little good news, clearly.
And good luck to all the John Gillicks out there, who have been served injury with a side of insult.
