Letter: Tourist trap getting old

Editor, The Banner:

I spent my early years growing and working in Long Island, and New York City, and believe me, for a young guy, there was plenty of action and lots of laughs.

Spending many years in the school system and restaurants taught me much about human nature.

Twenty years ago, I saw some old guy in the mirror and thought, "I guess it's time to smell the roses." I remember my dad telling me "give him me some flowers while I can smell 'em, not while I'm dead!"

In 1989, I found Bonita Springs, a small village that had everything I needed: spacious green tropical areas, mom and pop shops, nice, affordable homes, beaches, clean roadways and immaculate medians, hardly any crime and people who looked you in the eye and smiled hello. For a while, I thought I was in Mayberry, and looked for Sheriff Andy and Barney.

Today Bonita Springs is a city with unrestricted building, bringing too many people in too small an area, more crime, more dirt, more cars, more anger. It's not a fun place for visitors and residents in the tourist season. Ask anyone in the service industry and they'll tell you how glad they are when it's over, and they don't have to hear that worn-out phrase, "You wouldn't make it if it weren't for us!"

Funny, we all made it 15 to 20 years ago, in a much nicer way, and affordable housing wasn't just for millionaires. I guess some people just don't get it!

P.S., I wonder if that's really a golden egg coming out of that goose?

— Bruce Willoughby / Bonita Springs