My Hood

Friends,

As requested on Jessica's blog, she wanted to know where everybody is living.

I am in a large, sprawling apartment complex in a weird area. I mentioned the Giant Looming Jesus, who has arms outstretched more like he's working marionettes or casting a spell, who resides in front of the Knights of Columbus Hall outside my complex, across from one of the three PDQ gas stations within walking distance from my apartment.

Also nearby, a multiplex, a brand new Super Target, a bar called Monkey Shines that has a beach volleyball court outside it, and a bar called The Dry Bean which hosted the official after party for the Brett Michaels concert that was in town a while back. Just down the street is an Italian deli that sells fresh mozzarella in unmarked plastic bags and cannolis that aren't on the menu. Less than a mile or so away, near our bank, some very clean, upper class enclaves of condos and McMansions on roads all named Seminole. In my back yard is a tennis court, that when isn't occupied by children from the lady who is running a day care a couple apartments down, it has these Indian fellas out there playing some serious tennis. And finally, a single yellow finch ate some bird seed out of the bird feeder I bought for our patio.

What makes the place weird, last night there was reports of gunfire near my complex, as in about two or three blocks away. When police responded the shooter was long gone, but they roped off the area anyway only to have a drunk driver steer around the barricade, into a yard and through the crime scene. The drunk was then tased and arrested. Also, just down the street, the other way, away from the Seminole Way, Highway, Court, et. al, the houses are much more depressed and also stereotypically trashy. The yards are weedy, house unkempt and dirty. Teens dressed in high Midwestern thuggery wrangle down the streets, clothes not so much worn but draped like an oversized tablecloth or an adult smock on a toddler. People loiter on their porches. Rusted trucks and vans are parked in yards.

Essentially I live right between the fancy pants Seminoles and this sketchy neighborhood. So, I don't know if I live in a bad area or a good area. I don't know if this is an area on the rise or on the fall. What's even more confusing to me, is that I don't even know if such a thing as good areas or bad areas even apply here. I've heard of roads to avoid, and particular parks, but not full one neighborhoods to drive around. Maybe it is all like that with just stretches of a road or a few blocks. Growing up, it was easy to avoid the bad areas. Don't go to East St. Louis, Madison (Illinois...a dangerous suburb of Granite City/East St. Louis), Venice, Washington Park (except the strip clubs) or downtown Granite City, or Kirpatrick Homes (especially Kirpatrick Homes). Stay out of downtown St. Louis at night, except for The Landing, and even then keep your head on a swivel. In Carbondale and Mankato it was simple, too but here...I don't know.

How can one block be scary and another not without any kind of transition zone, especially if it is on the same damn boulevard...yes, boulevard...and a really well maintained one, too. When I heard of places to avoid here, I've heard of roads, like Badger Road is no good, and Allied Drive and some place called Elver Park, but not once have I heard or read anything condemning a whole quadrant of town like what I'm used to dealing with.


viva el mustache