Curious Traveler: CJ Fitzwater
Here on the edge of the Great Salt Marsh, I stand an old lady, seasoned by the winds and tides, nearing my 100th year. My pink facade, once bright and cheerful, now whispers tales of time’s passage since my birth in 1924. I was more than just a structure; I was a family home, though my beginnings were marred by sorrow. The husband who built me left his young wife and son here, a legacy of abandonment that overshadowed my early years.
As the world outside my walls spun through the Roaring Twenties, plunged into the Great Depression, and rallied in the wake of World War II, I too experienced the ebb and flow of life. I’ve seen the moon landing, witnessed the rise of technology, and felt the world shrink as the digital age dawned. Each event, each shift in the societal tide, left its mark on me, much like the changing seasons etch their patterns on the landscape.
Families came and went, each leaving a trace of their existence behind. Laughter filled my rooms, tears stained my floors, and life, in all its complexity, unfolded within my embrace. But as time marched on, the presence of those I sheltered dwindled, leaving me to the mercy of time and elements.
I became a haven for artists, photographers and writers, who saw in my faded grandeur a symbol of enduring grace. My solitude attracted birds of prey, snowy owls finding refuge on my weary frame, their silent vigilance a contrast to my once bustling interior.
As I approach my centennial, conversations of my end float to me on the salt-laden breeze. The tales of my creation, woven into the fabric of local lore, remain as elusive as the morning mist. But my story, once vibrant and full of familial warmth, now fades into a serene, sorrowful whisper.
In these twilight years, I reflect on the relentless march of time. The saltwater that once coursed through my veins, now a distant memory, symbolizes the changing tides of life I’ve witnessed. I’m the Pink House, a repository of memories and emotions, now facing a somber and uncertain future, standing as an example to the historic events and lives that have shaped the last century.
Salisbury resident C.J. Fitzwater is a curious traveler, perpetually on the lookout for fresh frontiers. With each journey, he blends historical threads into his stories.
Curious Traveler 
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