Dolmen Project (Year Twelve) Confessions of a “Guerilla Artist”: The Saga of the Safe

The Old Safe

Day 6 (7/10/16)

I promised to continue the “Saga of the safe”. When we first started dealing on the town hall we were told that the only thing that the Town Board was concerned about taking out of the building was the filing cabinets that contained the Town records. As it turns out they ended up just taking the files because the filing cabinets are fire resistant and have to weigh over five hundred pounds apiece. We were asked if we would mind keeping the safe because I am guessing it weighs more like a ton. The thought of keeping the hundred year old safe kind of grew on us even if we had no idea whether we would ever see the inside or not. We imagined all types of safe cracking scenarios with friends. The day before the closing we received a call from the realtor saying that somebody on the Town Board had decided they wanted the safe. I explained that we had become attached to the safe and that although it wasn’t a deal breaker we would like to keep it. At the closing it was agreed that at such time that we ever got it open (because the combination was lost) the papers inside would be turned over to the town board. We had no problem with that and so the deal was done. Two days later we are working in building and noticed an elderly man come in, kneel down at the safe and start working it. When I approached him he told me his name and said that he had been on the board thirty years ago and was the last person to open the safe. He also said that he had the combination at home and we talked for some time and it was decided that anytime he wanted to come in and give it a try he could. I explained our agreement with the Town Board that they would get any papers. After a nice discussion of times past he left and we went back to work. The following day a younger man showed up and introduced himself as the son of the man who had been there yesterday. After a bit, he asked if we would be willing to sell the safe and made it sound like the board was interested in putting it into the New Town Hall. We said that we weren’t interested in selling it but if the Town Hall really wanted it they could have it but we would like to be acknowledged for donating it back. He left, saying that he would round up some guys and get back to us. After he left we started wondering if we had really done the right thing. Since he was willing to pay for it we are wondering if he really intended to give it to the town hall at all. We discussed it later with the family and decided we would need insurances that it was indeed going to the New Town Hall. If he wanted it personally we may be willing to sell it but are not sure. Fortunately we never heard back from him and are not sure what we will say if we do.