Bubbling Beauty
For the umpteenth time, the fountain at El Rancho STEAK House was soaped again yesterday. And for the umpteenth time, Your Boulevardier has decided to report on it.
Perhaps this particular bit of mischief attracts Your Boulevardier's eye because soaping a fountain is one of the few harmless pranks -- one might say acts of vandalism -- that he played in his all-too-tame adolescence. (The steakhouse fountain did not exist then, of course; his soaping was done to the waterworks, now a planter, by the Hayward Public Library.)
This fountain, it's believed, does not contain ichthyic life, even though it is maintained by Connie's Pond & Garden -- just up the Boulevard -- which also sells fish. So perhaps the occasional spate of suds is not a bad thing. Certainly, it's a hassle for the good Rancheros. But it also certainly can be day-brightening to a pedestrian passer-by.
Labels: CV businesses, history, miscellany, vandalism, youth
posted by Your Boulevardier @ 8:54 AM
4 Comments
4 Comments:
Just a note - I enjoy your column but must say that I don't find such a prank to be harmless. At the very least, it is costing El Rancho hard earned money to clean it out. Our HOA has a waterfall which the kids also soap and the soap causes damage to the pump and filtration system. It costs $400+ to clean it out every time...which adds up quickly for the residents.
And perhaps the larger issue is the lack of respect for someone else's property.
Your Boulevardier appreciates the comment, Anonymous. To clarify: he is not particularly proud of his teenage lack of good judgement. In fact, it may have contributed to the fact that the fountain by the library is now a planter. It's surprising to know that it costs so much to clean out a fountain after such a transgression -- one would think that the bubbles would eventually just die down, as they do in the bathtub. Thank you for sharing that information.
I knew that soaping a fountain is not good for it. But I have always enjoyed how a soaped fountain looks. I especially enjoy the one on Redwood across from the BART station. Soaping a fountain does seem like a harmless prank.
It seems to me you could add some of that stuff we add to our spa to kill the bubbles. I think it's called Foam Down.
I like the bubbles.
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