15 January 2008

14th Street NW Culture.

So.

I left work this afternoon unwell and tired. After exiting the Columbia Heights metro station, I trudged up 14th street to get to my apartment and I saw a large group of young men gathered about a block and a half in front of me.

It was 2:00pm, so I don't think that they were high school students--unless of course the district high schools end that early.

Regardless, they were standing in a large group and seemed to be bothering a couple who was trying to enter their apartment. Normally, I don't mind walking past groups like this; I don't normally garner attention from them.

However, today, I felt differently.

Something didn't feel right about these people standing around in the cold. Something told me to turn right and take the long way home.

I have felt this way before while traveling around my neighborhood in the middle of the day. And it doesn't seem to make sense to me that it is a commonplace and acceptable thing for people to get away with being a nuisance and harassing others during the day, but at night, they are not and suddenly the police show up.

I'll return to the more astute examinations of culture perhaps later this week or next.

5 comments:

Casey said...

I notice that the new Rambo has that Down With the Sickness song on it. I was wondering if that was your fault.

cs said...

You were probably wise to avoid the scene. There's some strange stuff going on right now around Columbia Heights and Adams Morgan.

Anonymous said...

like my mamma says...better safe than sorry... not that i usually listen...but ive def. learned to trust my gut.. good call kiddo
xoxo

m.a. said...

Casey,

It could be my fault.

Cuff,

I know. I don't know what's up around here.

SB,

Thanks. I just don't like that this trusting of my gut is happening more often in this neighborhood.

Anonymous said...

I'm far more worried about the ones in the daytime, usually. At night everyone's on their guard. It's the ones who are crazy or desperate or fearless enough to make trouble at noon who you have to worry about.