Crazy in the Summertime

Two experiences over the past week have made me question where I live.

First, I was doing my normal lunchtime dog walk and my dog was doing his usual act of peeing on any other dog pee laden leaf, bush or plant. I stopped at one unkempt garden to wait for his territory marking to finish, quietly munching on an apple and thinking about going for a swim. Out of the corner of my eye, I see a figure stand up on the front porch of the house we were standing at. It was an African American man in his 40s - 50s with messy hair and he started yelling at me. "Hey lady, are you going to clean that up?" I gave him a quizzical look and started to explain that my dog had just peed. I didn't get out two words before he got louder. "You need to pick that up, this is my property, you think you can come by here and leave it. Bitch. You think your dog can crap. Bitch." I tried to take a deep breath and again explain his misunderstanding. My talking angered him more and he got louder. "Bitch. Fuck you. Bitch." I told the man to have a nice day and walked away. I had to hold back the tears.
I have walked past the house another two times and find myself crossing the street. The man has been sitting on the porch both times.

Second, I was running some errands and leaving a car park. Another man, African-American late 40s - 50s, came up to the car gesturing for me to wind down the window. I drove on. In the rea view mirror I saw him get money from another woman. Ten minutes later, I'm reversing out of another car-park, looking over my shoulder and then out of my side mirror and take a big gasp. The window is filled with the same man. Again his is gesturing for me to stop and open the window. I wait for him to move around the side of the car so I can drive away.

I live in a huge city and I have felt safe. Moments like these burst the bubble that I have created. Am I safe? Is it safe to bring a baby into this neighborhood? I walk around the streets and there are clearly two worlds existing side by side. The slow gentrification of the neighborhood means richer white people are moving into traditionally black blocks. There is a new "fair-trade" cafe or sushi restaurant opening up pretty much every week. On the surface the neighborhood looks like a wonderful, up and coming place to live. But it's not real. Take two more blocks west and people are living much poorer lives. The two worlds don't often mix, so the bubble of safety is created. This week those two encounters burst my bubble. I felt unsafe here this week and it has shaken me. I realize that a lot worse can/could have happened to me and I may be over-reacting. But just those tiny glimpses of what could happen make me question our choice of home.