House Numbers

Put large readable numbers on your house!

Recently I was awakened by flashing red lights. I could barely make out the shape of the van in the glare. It hesitated. The road past my house is narrower than most driveways. The van went up the hill. It was 3:21 a.m. Very soon the lights went back down the hill and turned down a driveway. Then they backed out of the driveway and stopped. I pulled on some shorts and hurried outside to try to help. They couldn’t find the address. “Snakebite,” they said. “Do you have a name?” I asked. They radioed for more information. Luckily, of my eight or so “close” neighbors, it was the one name I knew! The van went back up the hill. It was then 3:31 a.m.

Emergency: the very meaning of the word implies that you can’t foresee it. How lucky was it that I am a light sleeper and was willing to get involved? How important was 10 minutes? How would you feel, as those possibly life-saving flashing lights first came, then went away again? Don’t take the chance! Put up large, readable house numbers.

RICHARD K. THOMPSON

Sunland