Oh, no! I've actually shopped there a few times (do you have any idea how close we used to live to each other?) but decided to get my Rx's at a more cheerful-looking one in S. Pas. It's tough, because I don't believe in making decisions based on fear, stereotypes or mainstream paranoia. But it's tough when these are reinforced by ACTUAL events. The house we bought is in a neighborhood that used to be referred to as "Felony Flats." It has definitely come a long way since then, and we have really great neighbors on all sides. Although it's not the nicest neighborhood to walk in, I like to take Amelia for walks around it, almost out of principle-- to get to know neighbors and to be someone who makes a move toward positive neighborhood dynamics-- this is MY neighborhood, after all! The other day, I was out walking with her and somehow ended up right in the middle of a fistfight between some older drunkish man and a couple of punky teenagers. There I was with my little one in a stroller, trying to get past this electric aggression-- I moved one way, and they did too! I crept past, and the whole block was out of their houses watching me and a few got right in the middle to break it up between the guys. I had no idea how scary it was until someone drove after me to ask if I was OK-- I smiled and said yes, then when they drove away I burst into tears! Anyway, not to hijack your blog post, but what I mean to say is that it's a tough choice whether to be normal and nice in sketchy places and insist on acting like you have nothing to fear-- or just being as safe as possible.
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Oh, no! I've actually shopped there a few times (do you have any idea how close we used to live to each other?) but decided to get my Rx's at a more cheerful-looking one in S. Pas. It's tough, because I don't believe in making decisions based on fear, stereotypes or mainstream paranoia. But it's tough when these are reinforced by ACTUAL events. The house we bought is in a neighborhood that used to be referred to as "Felony Flats." It has definitely come a long way since then, and we have really great neighbors on all sides. Although it's not the nicest neighborhood to walk in, I like to take Amelia for walks around it, almost out of principle-- to get to know neighbors and to be someone who makes a move toward positive neighborhood dynamics-- this is MY neighborhood, after all! The other day, I was out walking with her and somehow ended up right in the middle of a fistfight between some older drunkish man and a couple of punky teenagers. There I was with my little one in a stroller, trying to get past this electric aggression-- I moved one way, and they did too! I crept past, and the whole block was out of their houses watching me and a few got right in the middle to break it up between the guys. I had no idea how scary it was until someone drove after me to ask if I was OK-- I smiled and said yes, then when they drove away I burst into tears! Anyway, not to hijack your blog post, but what I mean to say is that it's a tough choice whether to be normal and nice in sketchy places and insist on acting like you have nothing to fear-- or just being as safe as possible.
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