nearer, my god, to thee

Shortly after we moved in, it occurred to Erika that we lived in the sort of building that might have a cool view from the roof, if we could access it. She suggested that we investigate. I heartily agreed, and we both promptly forgot about it for a few weeks.

The sweltering heat compelled us out of the apartment yesterday, and we finally remembered to try going up instead of down to find relief. You can imagine our incredulous delight when we discovered not just rooftop access, but a wide-open door, well-maintained stairs, and around the corner, …a 345 degree view of the city, gigantic wood-floored deck, picnic tables, deck chairs, potted palms, flower boxes, and several unfortunately-defunct barbeques. We can see all the way from the Dandenongs to the north to the far side of the Yarra river to the south. The live jazz bands of Hardware Lane (a trendy dining area nearby) waft up to our aerie, along with fresh breezes and bright sunshine or stars depending. The other sounds of the city are pleasantly muffled by the continuous white noise of the building’s vent system.

How did we not know about this glorious haven when we moved in? Why was it not the most prominent feature, or included at all, in the real estate agent’s tour of the building? Indeed, it seems forgotten, except for the occasional solitary smoker. It seems too good to be true.