What would Fonzie do?

The Soviet Union was known as much as anything else for its intractability when dealing with ordinary citizens. When a decision was made by the hierarchy, there wasn’t much anyone could do except grin and bear it. The average Soviet citizen did have one recourse, though; their unflagging sense of humor. One joke went like this:

On the outskirts of Moscow, a dog saw a rabbit wasting no time leaving town. Curious, he stopped the rabbit and asked him where he was off to in such a hurry.

“There’s a rumor going around that all camels are to be castrated!” says the rabbit.

“So?” asks the dog. “You’re a rabbit. How does that concern you?”

“Try and tell them that” says the rabbit “after they’ve caught you and castrated you!”

If anyone can identify with what these poor, put-upon people had to deal with, it would be the tenants of the buildings that were demolished for the new judicial center.  No, it wasn’t necessary to tear down a whole block of historic buildings for an overpriced courthouse. There were other locations that would have been better, but the powers-that-be wanted it there. So, the wrecking ball has done its damage. The fact is none of those responsible for the upheaval in the lives of those who have been displaced have yet convinced me they care even a little.

The greatest sin committed by those who would have this location or die was that those business owners who leased their spaces were left with but one option: Get out! None of them received any help in relocating. Well, at least these entrepreneurs had ample time to find a new sites for their businesses.

Not so Ava Mitchell. Her building wasn’t supposed to even be in the way. Turns out the footprint to be put down by the Committee to Do Whatever They Want is going to be much bigger than anyone initially thought. Yep, another group of buildings will now be demolished, including the one that housed the Happy Days Diner.

Ava doesn’t own the building where her business is located. She leases. Accordingly, the above Committee doesn’t think she’s owed anything, except the 30 day notice already given her.

This looks a lot like "illegal taking". By this I mean that the business she and her late husband spent time building has an intrinsic value, and it is being taken from her with no thought of either helping her relocate, or of compensating her after forcing her to abandon it so quickly.

Too, the Committee, which has put in place conditions that will force her to close her establishment, is also costing her and her employees jobs at a time when any job is a scarce commodity. In addition, by forcing her to close this business, Ava and her family are going to have to seriously reconsider plans for the future that otherwise would have been secure.

No, the Committee is correct. But that does not mean that they are right.

In the meantime, when you visit Pikeville next, you might want to pay particular attention to those buildings between Main and Second Street. You never know which ones will fall victim next to the black hole that has opened up in what was downtown Pikeville.