[Source: Angela Cara Pancrazio, Arizona Republic] -- People don't believe Ray and Shari Lewis when they give out their address. Or John Lynch, Bruce Kinkner, Duvel and Andrea Pierre and their son, Gabriel. They have to repeat the name of the street they live on and spell it nearly every single day. Why Worry Lane.No kidding, they tell bankers, mechanics, dry cleaners and school officials. They live on a street in north-central Phoenix called Why Worry Lane. Amidst the chaos of war, immigration and political scandals, Why Worry Lane symbolizes a refuge, or at least the illusion of one. "Everybody you talk to, they say, 'Gee, I never heard that name before. Must be fun not having to worry,' " said longtime Why Worry resident Kinkner. "Who doesn't have worries?" he asked. "In today's hustle bustle it's hard not to have something to worry about."
There was a time when people came to the Valley to relax, when asthma sufferers flocked to the desert air, when brittle winters persuaded those east of the Missouri River to relocate to the Southwest. When the first subdivisions began to take root among the citrus groves on the outskirts of Phoenix, the suburban ranch house developments became emblematic of American life in the mid-20th century. Today, the name of one of the streets in an early development, Why Worry Lane, speaks of another time, of an era when people came here to relax. [Note: To read the full article, click here.]
