Today I spent the entire day working on my front yard landscape. I've spent a lot of time thinking what I want to do, carefully saving up for what I could afford now, deciding what could wait until later, and reaping the benefits of surplus from friends' yards. It was good to more solidly plant another "root" in Grove Park.
This fall and winter, I felt quite isolated and not plugged in here at all. In fact, I had begun to wonder if I would ever be able to make any inroads. Plus some of the next steps of "cross cultural" adjustment were happening: the days when everything was wonderful and interesting passed, and a season set in when I couldn't stand anything about where I lived. Not the way people seem to always yell when they communicate, my inability to understand what some people on the street were saying, the apparently irresistable need for the guys hanging out at the corner store to keep making comments louder and louder to get my attention, and the seeming endless lottery ticket lines at every overpriced convenience store.
So I've been "saving up" to post some observations about my neighborhood based on the end of the honeymoon and hopefully the passing of the days when I couldn't see anything good about it either.
Gas always costs at least 10 cents more per gallon anywhere near my house. I have the luxury of often being able to get it cheaper when I'm running an errand in another part of town.
My car insurance doubled in the fall. Doubled. I haven't had an accident or a ticket. I drive 3 miles round trip to work, compared to the 12-15 I drove when I lived in Decatur and paid half for my insurance and 10 cents per gallon less for my gas.
It doubled simply because of my zip code. I won't ever be so quick to say that people who don't make much money should be more responsible about keeping their car insured. I'm not sure how anyone affords it in a neighborhood where the median income is about half what my salary is. (and my salary isn't big).
There isn't a Publix or Kroger in my neighborhood. If you don't have a car, you have to shop at the Super Giant or convenience store or take 3 buses (45-55 min each way?) to get to the nearest Publix and then you can only buy what you can carry back by the same way. That Publix does sell chicken feet though
Papa John's won't deliver a pizza to my street.
At the local NPU (neighborhood planning unit) meeting last week, it was announced that Fulton County has passed an ordinance that a dog can't be left on a chain or rope all the time. This was followed by a long and sincere discussion about why Fulton County would want all those dogs running loose and not tied up. It was not an option to fence the yard or keep them inside. (I'm casting an eye toward my pup curled up asleep under my dining room table and my old dog curled on her bed by the door as I type this). My favorite quote of the evening: "To give an animal freedom, we must enclose it."
The list of ad hoc NPU committee priority needs includes: abandoned and derelict houses that play home to drug dealers and prosititutes, prosititution, concern about businesses opening in the neighborhood that have lately included a pawn shop, an application for a pool hall, and one of those tax credit loan shops.
The best collard greens I've ever tasted were around the corner at a restaurant called Soule. But when I walked the 2 blocks home just after dark at 6:15, I had 2 people pull up next to me assuming I was a prostitute. (see the ad hoc committee list above)
The South Evelyn Community Club is trying to resurrect. I'm amazed and encouraged at the people on my street who have known each other and lived together for more than 40 years now. There's incredible history that I'm blessed to be now included in. They are even letting me host the April meeting.
The Grove Park Community Garden has been approved by the city and will open after Easter. It may only be me and Chris T., who started it to begin with, but it seems quite hopeful.
I don't know that I have any point to this post, except to point out the realities of my chosen community with its warts, its beauties, and the injustices and obstacles it faces.
And as I go to publish this post, I hear 3 gunshots. It's not even 9 p.m., but it's a warm night and people have been out and about ( and some of them drinking) all day.
