Ghetto Life

Yep. I live in the ghetto. By choice, really. It gives me satisfaction that I own my little house. I currently don't have to worry about mortgage nor rent. I sold half of my duplex house to an old friend. So, essentially I live in a one-bedroom house (more like an apartment) about 600 square feet in area plus basement. The space is plenty for me as I hardly own much plus I rarely entertain guests. I did not grow up in an "entertaining" house, we're more accustomed to being guests rather than hosts. I have lived here for more than a couple of years now. There has been no major incidents so far in terms of threats to my personal safety. There are the occasional annoyances: stolen burning car next door, stolen outgoing mail, stolen center caps of my hubcap, and most recently shredded car antenna. No big deal, really.

So what has inspired me to write about my neighborhood? Today, I was playing hookie from work. Or I should say, I'm working from home :). So, I decided to walk over to the bank as I usually do. I typically don't carry my purse around just by common sense. I just bring the check I need to deposit plus my photo ID. The bank as well as the grocery store is just a short walk from the alley behind my house. I then noticed a couple of police cars at the bank's parking lot. Inside the bank, I saw the officers talking to an old lady. It turns out that she was robbed in broad daylight a few minutes before I got to the bank! The bank tellers were saying that it was the 5th robbery in front of the bank in the last 3 months (not even counting actual robberies inside the bank). They told me to be careful. I told them that I need not worry since I typically don't have any money on me.

So, I walked back home and I see this car parked behind my neighbor's house. I just know that new neighbors had recently moved in. The woman in the car said hello. So I chirpily responded to the woman and the man with her, "Oh, are you my new neighbors?". She said no and that they were just looking at the house. I asked if the house was for sale. She said no. And then it hit me that she must be one of the "pretty women" plying my neighborhood.

So, that's a slice of my life here in the 'hood. I don't mind living here at all. It certainly makes for colorful stories. :)