It's the Simple Things in Life That Make One Happy

Many residents in Fort Howard are a little happier today—at least I know I am—and we have Baltimore County workers to thank for that happiness.

If our cars could talk, they would thank the workers as well.

A sunken, crooked manhole cover at the intersection of Old Bay and North Point roads has been a problem the entire six years I've lived in the community.

Not only was the manhole cover significantly below road level, there also was a water leak that during nice weather was just a nuisance (to say nothing of the waste of a precious natural resource).

But come winter, the leak created an ice rink around the cover, which made turning onto the street a treacherous endeavor.

Even on a dry, clear day, I had to come to nearly a complete stop to make the turn. Hitting the turn any faster than five or six miles an hour could mean bending a rim from hitting the hole too fast.

And slowing to almost a complete stop to make the turn usually invited some nasty sign language from the driver of the car behind me.

On a regular basis, I and other neighbors called the Baltimore City Department of Public Works to report the water leak and deteriorating road surface.

A crew would eventually show up, do nothing about the leak and throw some filler asphalt in the area around the manhole cover.

It would take a couple of days for the surface patch to be kicked out and we'd be back to Square One.

So it was a joyous day indeed when I left to go to work Tuesday morning to find a phalanx of county trucks parked on a neighboring church's parking lot, and more trucks and their crews on Old Bay and North Point roads, fixing the aforementioned problem and another one closer to Fort Howard Veterans Park.

And here's the real reason for the joy: The county workers (from the Bureau of Highways, 12th District maintenance shop) were doing the job the way it should have been done by the city at least six years ago.

A neat, square area around the manhole cover was dug out, the cover was reset to road level, and the entire cut-out section was repaired with asphalt. The manhole cover problem closer to the park received the same treatment.

As I drove up the road yesterday morning, I stopped and thanked the men for finally giving the problem the treatment it needed.

When I went home Tuesday night, I smiled to myself and said a silent "thank you" when I saw the work was complete.

But I promised myself I would issue a much more public thank-you and here it is.