May. 10, 2002 ~ The letter
arrived last week, addressed to the previous owner (now deceased) of our property. The forwarding order expired eight years ago, and these folks just don't receive "real" mail here. When the occasional piece of junk mail arrives with their name on it, I toss it in the trash. But there was something about the return address on this one that made me pause and reconsider.
I opened it.
The letter was from a firm representing an oil company. There was a big, long story here, but it was much too complicated, particularly if one is unfamiliar with the oil business. So to make a long story MUCH shorter, let's just say that the big nasty oil company wants to purchase the option to check for oil or gas on our land. They neglected to check the recent records, or they would have noticed that WE purchased mineral rights to our land, that the previous owners sold them to us. Attorneys checked and double-checked, and the documents have since been checked again. Anyway, I'm not too happy about the whole situation. We most definitely don't want any drilling on our land, period. Money or no money. Okay, the money would be nice, but sheesh... it would have to be enough money for us to actually MOVE. The oil company's represntative would have us believe that they can drill on our land whether we want them to or not... even though lawyers and other such folks say otherwise. Gee... you don't think he might be trying to intimidate me, do you? Nah... surely not.
There's no guarantee that oil or gas exists on our property, or near enough for it to matter. This all may just go away. The big nasty oil company (which is already drilling on property very, very close to ours) could hit a dry well and pick up all their toys and go home.
Whatever.
But now I look out our windows at our beautiful views, and wonder how long it will last. We can hear the birds sing, the crickets call, the bullfrogs and hoot owls at night. We are surrounded by incredible natural beauty. We love our neighbors.
What will happen? Will it all change? Will our neighbors take the offers, and will they wind up selling their homes and moving? That often happens.
One little letter, misdirected, mis-addressed, just a mistake... will it really change our lives? We hope not.
We surely hope not.
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