At the beginning of the summer, I thought of
writing a letter to the local paper challenging the community to a murder-free
summer. Before it went from a thought to
an action, a 21-year-old man was murdered across the street from me in his
lobby. The neighborhood has been flooded
with cops ever since. I don’t know if
they caught those responsible for that murder.
I do know there are shootings going on as a lifestyle around here. I am actually grateful for getting home each
day. I am in and out a lot. And being I
am on vacation from work, my schedule is almost non-existent. So I might be going to the store at any time
in a 24-hour period. Due to my
unconventional way of living, I tend to hear tidbits from all kinds of folks in
the neighborhood – from the young hoodlums who consider me somewhat cool to the
store owners and the folks who are horrified at what’s been happening. Sometimes, I get my info because people feel
free to speak to each other in front of me.
During much of the summer of 2013, these have been the sounds of my
neighborhood:
“You can’t make a call
until you’re moved to the second cell.”
“I know. I make all my calls from the second cell.”
“They
better lock up that white nigga.”
“Yeah. He’s gonna fuck her up. They better lock him up.”
Be my baby now
“Hey, Ma. God bless you.”
“Yeah,
like three in the morning. I didn’t know
where it was, but I heard it.”
“It
was from one rooftop to another on my corner.”
“Holy
shit.”
“Hey, I heard you are
planning on moving. Is that true?”
“Well, not at least
for two years. My daughter just entered
a Master’s program at Lehman College, so we are staying at least that long.”
“’Cuz the decent
people leave, and I’m afraid I’m going to be left in the middle of a
battlefield all by myself.”
“No. Don’t worry.”
“I wouldn’t blame you
for wanting to leave with all the shit’s been goin’ on lately.”
“It’s crazy.”
“The other day, a few
yards from me, a kid pulled out a gun from his pocket right near C-Town and
shot at a group. It was daytime and many
people were out and saw. It’s like he
thought he was in a movie. But we’re
real, and I really want to live.”
“Oh my God!”
“Yeah. When I come out with the dog, there’s no good
direction to walk. There’s something
going on everywhere. I let him decide. I figure he may know better just from
sniffing.”
Bueno pa' gozar, mulata
Oye como va mi ritmo
Bueno pa' gozar mulata
“Ooooh, I
finally get to see the new person!
What’s his name?”
“Joshua. He’s a month old now.”
“When I hadn’t
seen you, I thought maybe you were away at relatives.”
“No. We’ve been in the house. My stepkids are with us this summer taking
summer school because they messed up.
We’re on lockdown.”
“You might be
better off with all that’s happening out here.”
“Oh please, they are shooting from one side of the Concourse to
the other for drug territory.”
“This is insane. Anybody
could be going to the store or to work and get hit.”
“I know. I applied for
senior housing. I figure by the time I
get called, I’ll be eligible.”
“This is some scary shit.
It’s starting to feel amazing that we get home at all.”
“I really hope they get whoever they have to get
and this passes ‘cuz I still consider this my neighborhood.”
“It is our neighborhood, and I like it.”
Celebrate good times, come on! (Let's
celebrate)
Celebrate good times, come on! (Let's celebrate)
Celebrate good times, come on! (Let's celebrate)
There's a party goin' on right here
A celebration to last throughout the years
A celebration to last throughout the years
“Hey girl. I got approved
for a place on Grand Avenue. I’m so
glad. I gotta get outta that
building. I can’t even have my kid visit
me there. They put a gun to him and got
mad that I called the cops. What was I
s’posed to do? Wait ‘til they kill him?”
“I’m glad for you that you got a place. You really need to. You’re in a very problematic building.”
“It’s all people from rehab and shit. The cops told me to stay upstairs. But I can’t sit there all day. They told me if I see a white van, to go
upstairs because there could be a shoot-out.”
“Get home safe.
I’ll call you later.”
“You be safe too. Vaya con Dios.”
“This attack is an assault on human dignity,” Obama said. “It also presents a serious danger to our national security. . . . It could lead to escalating use of chemical weapons, or their proliferation to terrorist groups who would do our people harm.”
I agree with the president’s concerns. I do. I remember when I was a child hearing an older Jewish woman saying with pain in her voice about the Holocaust and saving the Jewish people, "What took the United States so long?" I just want to point out that in the meantime, our own people are doing our people enough harm in many neighborhoods to make us feel we are already at war.
Korean War soldier
“…he had killed his mark's 16-month-old baby, whom his target was pushing in a
stroller, sources said.
The horrific shooting was believed to be in retaliation
for a drive-by shooting last year that left one of the suspect's brothers
wounded in addition to a 2-year-old girl, according to the sources.”
and on and on it goes…
What a crazy way to live. Omg. I always hated C town but didn't know it was that crappy. Save your children run! Run! Well at least its not boring in your neighborhood. Here in Canada only thing to worry about are the raccoons that prowl around in the night. They scare me and I dont go out at night
ReplyDeletebecause of them . But where you live. Its insane.
Hi CA. We are going through an insane period right now. It wasn't always this way, and I hope to be able to tell you soon that things are calmer again. What took place near a C Town is not at all connected to C Town. There was also an upholstery shop on the corner. Not their fault either. I was confused by that part of your comment. I don't have small children, so I don't have that concern now. No where for me to run. I barely afford my bills as it is. Any other apartment in NYC will cost more for less space. If show biz works out for me and my finances change, I will have more choices. At the moment, I don't feel like anyone is out for me personally. However, when shootings are going on, I don't think they care much who might be in the way. These are neighborhood people, not professionals who hit their target and only their target.
ReplyDeleteMy neighborhood, my apartment, and my head rarely allow me to feel bored. lol Thanks for reading. <3
I guess if your number's up. Just read about this 62 year old guy, Jeffery Babbitt, randomly punched in the face, 3 pm, Union Square (my neighborhood), last Wednesday -declared brain dead and died on Monday morning. Retired train conductor, cared for his 94 year old mother, Lucille in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn . . . The guy who did it declared his intention to "punch the first white man I see".
ReplyDeleteAnd so it goes . . .
Richard, I heard about that when it happened. That was so awful that an older man received that crazy person's rage and his life is over. His poor mother. So awful. There was no way to avoid that since it came unprovoked in a populated place in the day.
ReplyDeleteMindy that is awful. I hope your neighborhood does get the resources and help to go back to its better times. I feel a lot of this is the result of the economic meltdown and lowering of wages and opportunities. Even so, no one should have to live with these fears.
ReplyDeleteLisa, thanks for reading. I know I focused on the problems for this blog, but just realize that people are still entering masters programs and having babies. In the midst of all this, life goes on (God willing). Also the end included an LA gang member, a soldier, and a gang shooting in Brooklyn. I didn't mean to confuse. I'd like our youth to learn other ways of living just like I'd like nations to be able to address issues without war. Some think I ask for a lot. However, what I ask for cannot be bought in a store nor is it science fiction. It is possible but involves the kind of work that leads to living differently. That tends to scare people more.
ReplyDeleteI'm grateful that I can write about it.