That was my sister’s question after saying I was going to take off for DC and her saying, “this is great Friday vibes.” It was, but it wasn’t great situational awareness carrying a brand new laptop through Penn North, not knowing that you don’t transfer to the MARC at Penn North. I took off without a map and just asked people until I got where I was going. Everyone was infinitely kind, warning me to be careful. I learned on Thursday that Penn North is the most dangerous neighborhood in Baltimore. Even in the midst of my discomfort at being in an unfamiliar situation, people were kind to me and not scared in return. I was also wearing two pairs of CZ earrings that looked cheap to me, but didn’t look cheap to other people. I was wearing an Apple Watch. I looked all wrong. Everyone quietly told me to go back to Camden Yards.
I saw a man get beaten by another man carrying a four by four in broad daylight and that was my indication that I’d underestimated the severity when black people tell you they won’t go somewhere in Baltimore. Pig Town is at the top of the list, and I was warned not to just go wandering around with my camera. Even the people in my neighborhood were freaked out by the picture of the guys powerwashing at Reisterstown Station.
The picture with my hair all messy is me saying that “the wind works better in DC.” The serious picture is my new haircut. It was the impetus for all of this, wanting to go back to my barber shop after four months of making do.
The rest are just shots of what I saw yesterday. I was noting everything, like the difference in the size of the subway cars. I have found an easy way to get out to the county, but I’m going to have stories coming further into the city at all.
I met a woman who I hope will call me because she seemed like a good friend. I’m looking for them these days, and Uber Shares are a great way to make them because you have enough time to actually get to know someone in 15-20 minutes. It’s not speed dating, but it’s enough to let you know if you can spend time with someone doing anything if you can road trip with them.
Shout out to David, my old roommate and big brother. He’s doing well, and it was great to actually hug him. I forget I need that, quite honestly.
And shout out to Michael, who said that those daytime beatings are the best so I’d know that my reaction is………….. nothing. It’s my first time seeing violence, not the people in my group. I’m not from around here. Everyone tells me that, but it’s because I have all the trappings of a person with money and I am not bright enough to know how to hide them all yet. If it’s not my earrings, it’s my watch. If it’s not my laptop, it’s my tablet.
There’s no good way to escape the fact that you get nice things as gifts. I shouldn’t have to. But I was still scared to walk around in Penn North because at 121 feet down, all my comms dropped out. No cell phone, no internet. And three people telling me I needed to HAUL ASS OUT OF THIS ESTABLISHMENT.
Not all of Baltimore is Pimlico…. but thank God for that. I asked for the mud, and got the moon. Now orientations are adjusted. The greatest con is where everyone gets what they want, and I’ve got mine.
A written life.
Stories That Are All True 