Excursion into gangbanger land

dragontooth73 · November 7, 2000, 09:36 PM

I just love Chicago ... take this statement with about 3 pounds of salt ... I am trying to look for a place to live since my roomie is neurotic and just incapable of rational discussion.

So I went to the west side of Chicago, in response to an ad for rooms to rent. It was night, since I got off at work around 5pm, and being winter it was dark by then. I got in the train. After a while, I was the only Asian in the entire train. When I got off at my stop I noticed that everybody was, without exception, black. I'm not being disparaging. It was obviously a community where the population was mostly black. No problem.

I'm walking several blocks down and I notice that there are slangers on every kerb. Cars parked, pounding loud gangsta rap. Not as many as would be there otherwise (it's winter after all) but still enough of a presence.

And here I am, just walking down the street, when a group of five notices me crossing the kerb and starts to block me. I move from the pavement onto the grass. I hear something mumbled like:

"Damn chink, f@#ken walkin on the grass scared or sumthin"

plus a few other choice epithets, I'm sure. I already know there are five. I'm dressed in all black (a habit acquired from my days as a runaway) and I know it's hard to really see me in the dim moonlight. Hardly any streetlights, by the way.

I'm not carrying anything except a keyring. My ex fiancee in LA has my entire concealed weapon/knife collection. I put a loose grip around the keys in my pocket. I know how I'd use them. There's no fear, just an awareness as they start to stand up and move in a loose formation to block me.

And all of a sudden, they cease to challenge me and I walk on without breaking stride. They let me by without another word.

I find the place and it's deserted. I walk back to the nearest train station. I stay near deserted streets, checking parked cars. I smell marijuana in a parking lot I pass through (no mistake, trust me) and happen through a few more encounters. I eventually get home.

Honestly, I felt much more comfortable dealing with five thugs on the kerb than with one racist employee at work. When I know that I don't have limitations on me, it's very much clear presence of mind that gets me through. I'm sure that more than a few of the lovely residents of the slum I passed through were wondering what a Chink was doing straying from Chinese areas and wouldn't have minded capping me in the least.

Well, now I'm home. I'm still looking for a place to live. But I feel much calmer today than I did a couple of days ago. How strange.

dragontooth73 · November 7, 2000, 09:48 PM

Sorry, just to let everyone know, as a result of all the hassle with my mento soon-to-be-ex roommate in Chicago, from end of tomorrow onwards I will lack serious computer/internet access for like a week and a half. So tomorrow morning is going to be the last time I will be able to check TFL. It might be much longer than just a plain week and a half, but I plan on coming back.

Everyone take care in the meantime, please. Be safe and God be with you always.

LASur5r · November 8, 2000, 11:36 AM

Dragontooth 73,
Stay safe and expect to see you back on line soon.
By the way, bradduh, you exhude too much confidence...you supposed to be giving out a victim like aura so that they would try to thump on you.
You knew what to do and you knew that you could respond in kind.
Also having the clearness in thought and surviving the encounter, even though there was no physical encounter, you have now a greater appreciation of your life.
The universe is now in better perspective.
Stay safe, my friend.

November 7, 2000, 09:36 PM	#1
dragontooth73 Junior member Join Date: August 2, 2000 Location: Honolulu, HI, USA Posts: 210	I just love Chicago ... take this statement with about 3 pounds of salt ... I am trying to look for a place to live since my roomie is neurotic and just incapable of rational discussion. So I went to the west side of Chicago, in response to an ad for rooms to rent. It was night, since I got off at work around 5pm, and being winter it was dark by then. I got in the train. After a while, I was the only Asian in the entire train. When I got off at my stop I noticed that everybody was, without exception, black. I'm not being disparaging. It was obviously a community where the population was mostly black. No problem. I'm walking several blocks down and I notice that there are slangers on every kerb. Cars parked, pounding loud gangsta rap. Not as many as would be there otherwise (it's winter after all) but still enough of a presence. And here I am, just walking down the street, when a group of five notices me crossing the kerb and starts to block me. I move from the pavement onto the grass. I hear something mumbled like: "Damn chink, f@#ken walkin on the grass scared or sumthin" plus a few other choice epithets, I'm sure. I already know there are five. I'm dressed in all black (a habit acquired from my days as a runaway) and I know it's hard to really see me in the dim moonlight. Hardly any streetlights, by the way. I'm not carrying anything except a keyring. My ex fiancee in LA has my entire concealed weapon/knife collection. I put a loose grip around the keys in my pocket. I know how I'd use them. There's no fear, just an awareness as they start to stand up and move in a loose formation to block me. And all of a sudden, they cease to challenge me and I walk on without breaking stride. They let me by without another word. I find the place and it's deserted. I walk back to the nearest train station. I stay near deserted streets, checking parked cars. I smell marijuana in a parking lot I pass through (no mistake, trust me) and happen through a few more encounters. I eventually get home. Honestly, I felt much more comfortable dealing with five thugs on the kerb than with one racist employee at work. When I know that I don't have limitations on me, it's very much clear presence of mind that gets me through. I'm sure that more than a few of the lovely residents of the slum I passed through were wondering what a Chink was doing straying from Chinese areas and wouldn't have minded capping me in the least. Well, now I'm home. I'm still looking for a place to live. But I feel much calmer today than I did a couple of days ago. How strange.

November 7, 2000, 09:48 PM	#2
dragontooth73 Junior member Join Date: August 2, 2000 Location: Honolulu, HI, USA Posts: 210	Sorry, just to let everyone know, as a result of all the hassle with my mento soon-to-be-ex roommate in Chicago, from end of tomorrow onwards I will lack serious computer/internet access for like a week and a half. So tomorrow morning is going to be the last time I will be able to check TFL. It might be much longer than just a plain week and a half, but I plan on coming back. Everyone take care in the meantime, please. Be safe and God be with you always.

November 8, 2000, 11:36 AM	#3
LASur5r Junior member Join Date: July 20, 2000 Location: pasadena,california,America Posts: 542	Dragontooth 73, Stay safe and expect to see you back on line soon. By the way, bradduh, you exhude too much confidence...you supposed to be giving out a victim like aura so that they would try to thump on you. You knew what to do and you knew that you could respond in kind. Also having the clearness in thought and surviving the encounter, even though there was no physical encounter, you have now a greater appreciation of your life. The universe is now in better perspective. Stay safe, my friend.