Marc had worked in the city hall's engineering department for so long that the city was laid out in his mind like a map, full of names and places.
Marc
had
worked
in
the
city
hall
's
engineering
department
for
so
long
that
the
city
was
laid
out
in
his
mind
like
a
map
,
full
of
names
and
places
.
And then something happened that filled him with shock.
And
then
something
happened
that
filled
him
with
shock
.
One August afternoon, he discovered a card saying GREEN BOTTLE STREET at the back of the drawer.
One
August
afternoon
,
he
discovered
a
card
saying
GREEN
BOTTLE
STREET
at
the
back
of
the
drawer
.
He checked the listed details.
He
checked
the
listed
details
.
It was not there.
It
was
not
there
.
It was a lost, a forgotten street, which existed in the heart of Montreal, not half a mile from city hall, and no one had known.
It
was
a
lost
,
a
forgotten
street
,
which
existed
in
the
heart
of
Montreal
,
not
half
a
mile
from
city
hall
,
and
no
one
had
known
.
He put the card in his pocket and the next day he went looking for the street with beating heart.
He
put
the
card
in
his
pocket
and
the
next
day
he
went
looking
for
the
street
with
beating
heart
.
At his first glance, Marc realized how it had gotten its unusual name.
At
his
first
glance
,
Marc
realized
how
it
had
gotten
its
unusual
name
.
It was exactly like a bottle in shape.
It
was
exactly
like
a
bottle
in
shape
.
With the sun shining on the garden plots, and the blue sky overhead, the street gave him a sense of peace.
With
the
sun
shining
on
the
garden
plots
,
and
the
blue
sky
overhead
,
the
street
gave
him
a
sense
of
peace
.
A woman some sixty years of age was watering roses in the garden of the first house to his right.
A
woman
some
sixty
years
of
age
was
watering
roses
in
the
garden
of
the
first
house
to
his
right
.
He announced, "I'm from the city engineering department, madam."
He
announced
,
``
I
'm
from
the
city
engineering
department
,
madam
.
''
The woman recovered herself and set her watering can down.
The
woman
recovered
herself
and
set
her
watering
can
down
.
"So you have found out at last," she said.
``
So
you
have
found
out
at
last
,
''
she
said
.
"We paid our taxes and made out a lot of forms and answered the questions of various officials.
``
We
paid
our
taxes
and
made
out
a
lot
of
forms
and
answered
the
questions
of
various
officials
.
Then, after a while, we were sent no notices, so we paid no more taxes.
Then
,
after
a
while
,
we
were
sent
no
notices
,
so
we
paid
no
more
taxes
.
No one bothered us at all.
No
one
bothered
us
at
all
.
It was a long time before we understood that in some way they'd forgotten about us."
It
was
a
long
time
before
we
understood
that
in
some
way
they
'd
forgotten
about
us
.
''
Marc nodded.
Marc
nodded
.
Of course, if Green Bottle Street had been ignored by the city hall, no inspectors would go there, no tax collectors.
Of
course
,
if
Green
Bottle
Street
had
been
ignored
by
the
city
hall
,
no
inspectors
would
go
there
,
no
tax
collectors
.
All would pass merrily by.
All
would
pass
merrily
by
.
"For several years, the tenants here had lived in harmony with each other and the landlord.
``
For
several
years
,
the
tenants
here
had
lived
in
harmony
with
each
other
and
the
landlord
.
The owner became so attached to them that he gave them all he had when he died.
The
owner
became
so
attached
to
them
that
he
gave
them
all
he
had
when
he
died
.
I have lived here for more than twenty years.
I
have
lived
here
for
more
than
twenty
years
.
I hope to end my days here as well."
I
hope
to
end
my
days
here
as
well
.
''
She smiled pleasantly at him, apparently forgetting for the moment that he carried in his pocket a bomb that could blow their little world to pieces.
She
smiled
pleasantly
at
him
,
apparently
forgetting
for
the
moment
that
he
carried
in
his
pocket
a
bomb
that
could
blow
their
little
world
to
pieces
.
"You remind me of my nephew," she said suddenly.
``
You
remind
me
of
my
nephew
,
''
she
said
suddenly
.
"He was a dear boy.
``
He
was
a
dear
boy
.
I was heartbroken when he died.
I
was
heartbroken
when
he
died
.
I'm the last of my family, you know."
I
'm
the
last
of
my
family
,
you
know
.
''
Marc thought of his noisy and violent landlady and neighbors.
Marc
thought
of
his
noisy
and
violent
landlady
and
neighbors
.
He could not recall when he had been spoken to with such simple goodwill.
He
could
not
recall
when
he
had
been
spoken
to
with
such
simple
goodwill
.
His heart warmed to this old lady.
His
heart
warmed
to
this
old
lady
.
"I wonder," he said slowly, "I am a good tenant, and I wonder"
``
I
wonder
,
''
he
said
slowly
,
``
I
am
a
good
tenant
,
and
I
wonder
''
"Oh yes," she leaned forward eagerly, "you could have the top floor of my house.
``
Oh
yes
,
''
she
leaned
forward
eagerly
,
``
you
could
have
the
top
floor
of
my
house
.
I'm sure it would suit you."
I
'm
sure
it
would
suit
you
.
''
Marc took the card out of his pocket and tore it across and dropped the pieces in the watering can.
Marc
took
the
card
out
of
his
pocket
and
tore
it
across
and
dropped
the
pieces
in
the
watering
can
.
As far as he was concerned.
As
far
as
he
was
concerned
.
Green Bottle Street would remain mislaid forever.
Green
Bottle
Street
would
remain
mislaid
forever
.
Marc had worked in the city hall's engineering department for so long that the city was laid out in his mind like a map, full of names and places. And then something happened that filled him with shock.  One August afternoon, he discovered a card saying GREEN BOTTLE STREET at the back of the drawer. He checked the listed details. It was not there. It was a lost, a forgotten street, which existed in the heart of Montreal, not half a mile from city hall, and no one had known. He put the card in his pocket and the next day he went looking for the street with beating heart.  At his first glance, Marc realized how it had gotten its unusual name. It was exactly like a bottle in shape. With the sun shining on the garden plots, and the blue sky overhead, the street gave him a sense of peace. A woman some sixty years of age was watering roses in the garden of the first house to his right.  He announced, "I'm from the city engineering department, madam."  The woman recovered herself and set her watering can down.  "So you have found out at last," she said. "We paid our taxes and made out a lot of forms and answered the questions of various officials. Then, after a while, we were sent no notices, so we paid no more taxes. No one bothered us at all. It was a long time before we understood that in some way they'd forgotten about us."  Marc nodded. Of course, if Green Bottle Street had been ignored by the city hall, no inspectors would go there, no tax collectors. All would pass merrily by.  "For several years, the tenants here had lived in harmony with each other and the landlord. The owner became so attached to them that he gave them all he had when he died. I have lived here for more than twenty years. I hope to end my days here as well."  She smiled pleasantly at him, apparently forgetting for the moment that he carried in his pocket a bomb that could blow their little world to pieces.  "You remind me of my nephew," she said suddenly. "He was a dear boy. I was heartbroken when he died. I'm the last of my family, you know."  Marc thought of his noisy and violent landlady and neighbors. He could not recall when he had been spoken to with such simple goodwill. His heart warmed to this old lady. "I wonder," he said slowly, "I am a good tenant, and I wonder"  "Oh yes," she leaned forward eagerly, "you could have the top floor of my house. I'm sure it would suit you."  Marc took the card out of his pocket and tore it across and dropped the pieces in the watering can. As far as he was concerned. Green Bottle Street would remain mislaid forever.