My Neighbor's House

My wife and I aren't below the poverty line, but we certainly aren't rich, either. As I've said on several occasions, one mustn't go very far down the road to find folks who have much less.

Similarly, from my front porch, I can see one of the most impressive mansions in the nation. My house is less than a stone's throw from the 20,000 square foot Laurel Court's property line. 20,000 square feet?! That does not include the underground tunnels leading to the other buildings on the property! It does, however, include the atrium with a removable glass dome. Supposedly, this place cost well in excess of $500k to build... in 1907! I've been to the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC. The interior of Mr. Vanderbilt's castle looks alot like these images of my neighbor's house. (Just for the record, my humble abode was here before the mansion was...)

While poverty is just down the street, so is extreme wealth. I could take a guided tour of my neighbor's house for the bargain price of $16. Sheesh. What a weird area this is to live in... I could witness a serious crime while walking across the street to tour a palace...