Elevator to Betrayal: My Village Turned on Me
"You built an elevator on a mountain. It's obviously a code violation!"
Walter Grady lifts his walking stick, the muddy tip coming inches from my nose.
The massive mountain completely boxed in our town, forcing everyone to endure a brutal two-hour hike just to leave town.
That is why, the moment I made my fortune, I paid out of my own pocket to install a massive outdoor elevator.
For five years, I've been charging a 50-cent fee just to cover the costs of electricity.
Knowing the town is mostly comprised of elderly folks and children, I bought the most expensive, heavy-duty materials available and hired a 24-hour maintenance crew for the elevator, never expecting them to report it to the city council as a code violation.
I feel completely blindsided, but I still hold out hope that the people I spent years helping will stand up and speak for me.
Instead, Martha Bell rolls her eyes and remarks, "Who ever heard of an elevator charging a fee? You're just ripping us off!"
Marcus Crowe chimes in with a sneer, "You're just lazy and using us as an excuse to line your own pockets."
I let out a bitter, angry laugh.
To keep the residents comfortable, I keep the air conditioning running inside the cabin. Now, the city council is giving me a three-day deadline to tear it down or face a fine.
Walter is practically gloating, saying that it's about time.
I sign the citation on the spot and immediately call a demolition crew.
If they enjoy hiking so much, they can be my guest.
I'm officially done serving them.