$68,000 totem rises from Scales St. (edited 4/10/16 12:31 PM)

On April 8th, thousands turned out to worship at the base of the new Reidsville downtown sculpture.

Well, it was supposed to be thousands, but three people is the most we ever saw admiring the "Budding Future" by Greensboro artist Jim Gallucci. 

The original Confederate soldier monument had stood in the Scales St. round-about since 1910 until Greensboro resident Mark Vincent plowed it with his van in May of 2011. 

"Budding Future" was known as the "Gallucci Alien" when the original design looked like a giant blue egg from the movie "Alien".

The occasion for the mass gathering was the first Cruise-In of the season.  Reidsville city officials rushed the installation a bit in order to have the "Budding Future" erected for the April car show.

According to the Reidsville Review, Gallucci said, "...he hopes that this work of art will help encourage small businesses to get started in Reidsville."

Gallucci probably shouldn't hold his breath waiting for more small businesses to come to Reidsville.  If anything, the Gallucci may push some existing businesses over the edge.

I estimate about three out of four people don't much care for the Gallucci creation. Most want the Confederate soldier back.   Many have said they won't come to downtown again as long as the "Budding Future" stands in the street.


Reidsville Co-Mayors James Festerman and Clark Turner discuss the giant blue "Alien" egg on top of a model of the original Gallucci.

My preference is for the street to be completely cleared and a couple of traffic lights put up to replace it all.

We had to wait a full day to get an answer from the City Clerk, but the cost of the "Budding Future" was $68,000 from design to installation,

The total was reduced to two people after just a couple of minutes.

The fellow on the right in the black sweater turned out to be Reidsville Review kid reporter Justyn Melrose who said he came to the Cruise-In just to find out the cost of the "Budding Future" and to spot any City Council members.  Melrose left soon after we told him $68,000 (about the value of a typical home in Reidsville) and that City Council members rarely attend the Cruise-Ins.

Melrose said the "Budding Future" might have looked good standing in Greensboro, but it seemed out of place in Reidsville.

Notice Melrose and the unidentified woman standing on the brick sidewalk. 

During the time of protests to keep the Confederate soldier monument in the round-about, the city fathers declared standing on the brick sidewalk to be illegal.  Protesters were forced to balance on the tiny curb inside the brick sidewalk.  Anyone caught on the sidewalk would be cited.  Apparently, the rules have changed since the protesters lost their case in court and no longer gather to protest.  It is now legal to stand on the brick sidewalk.

Before he left, Melrose said he heard more was to be added to the "Budding Future".  We heard a smaller egg was planned for the very top of the spire.

Amazingly I later met a City Council person who was not aware the police had declared the sidewalk to be off-limits to protesters.

A rather strange-haired police officer came out very soon after we arrived.  She had blond hair on top of black hair.  She reported by cell phone to headquarters that ten or so Confederate flags had been planted around the "Budding Future".

You will no doubt recognize the Stars and Bars.  The other flag was the first Flag of the Confederacy.

The police officer photographs the flags on her cell phone before the removal process began.  She no doubt sent the photos to HQ.

Whatever the flag, the officer was directed to remove all of them and she did so after a long conversation on her cell phone.

The strange-haired officer was joined in the street by two other officers after she removed the flags.  The three talked for several minutes while she held the bundle of flags.

The officer walked away with the flags and that was the end of the throngs at the idol.

Here's a little video I stitched together of the Flag Cop doing her thing

While visiting the "Budding Future", we couldn't help but notice the waterfall at Kelly's Way was not falling.  The water has been shut off.

The same City Council person, who did not know about the sidewalk, told us more rock has been added at the base of the former waterfall because kids were using it as a wading pool.

I should mention Judy Gonzalez came up behind me during the Cruise-In and started incoherently rambling to me about something.  I told the crazy bitch to shut-up and to get the hell away from me.  She immediately went directly across the street and talked to a police officer.  I can only assume it was about my very rude and crude treatment of her.  He listened to her for a couple of minutes and then she disappeared down the street.  I fully expected him to come over to me to ask about the incident, but he never did.  Two armed detectives will probably show up at my house next week to tell me how I treated Judy "might be illegal."

Click the images to enlarge.