The campus where I work is in a not so great part of minneapolis, not the worst part but definitely one riddled with drugs and crime. We have 3 institutions on theis campus, the art college where i work, the art institute and the children’s theatre. We are a 6 square block oasis in the midst of the ‘bad part of town’.
There’s always crime on the periphery, usually one drugged out thug on another, occasionally a mugging of one of the students or residents.
This past week or so there has been a definite and alarming increase in the incidents. They are all pretty similar, two perps coming up behind the victim and either grabbing them or knocking them down. Occasionally a gun is flashed. These happen suddenly, they steal purses or wallets or whatever and take off.
A few weeks ago there was an unrelated series of assaults by a man who was kidnapping the victims, taking them to their homes and stealing their stuff. He was caught.
I don’t like being scared, I refuse to be paranoid, but this is very real. The route from my office to the parking ramp takes on an poorly lit path between buildings where no one is really watching. I don’t want to get robbed, I don’t want someone to knock me down and take my purse. There’s not much in there, a few credit cards, many many many receipts, my cell phone, I never have more that $40 cash on me.
I don’t want to get grabbed from behind, I don’t want to get knocked down, i don’t want someone to take my purse.
A few people have mentioned getting guns. What’s the point? If I had a gun on me and I got knocked down and my purse taken I would then also be the owner of a stolen gun. Even, if the world were a magical place and I actually had the chance to pull a gun and aim it at someone, would I want to trade a life for my purse? Or, more realistically, would I be willing to get shot over a cell phone? It’s a nice cell phone, but I like my liver and spleen, I don’t want them harmed.
It’s just frustrating to think about. I was never really scared before, the bulk of the incidents before involved people who knew each other, drug deals gone bad, the occasional gang rivalry. I came to work, did my work and went home. I engaged in no behavior that would invoke the anger of a thug. Now that does not seem to matter.
So, we’re going to move in numbers. I might start parking elsewhere, though my options are limited, i cannot parallel park to save my life.
Not much else to report, the mundane details overwhelm us all. Tonight I must haul ass to the SuperTarget and get dog food and groceries. this morning the dogs got a bowl full of treats as I had been remiss in my dog food buying duties. I don’t think they minded. Levi told me he gives his dogs peanut butter sandwiches when there is no food. Good idea.
SuperTarget, Dishes, Laundry. I will not be making dinner tonight, there is leftover eggplant parmesan for David and frozen pizza or pierogies for me.
Ghengis’ ear is getting better. The more I think about how much pain he was in on monday morning the more my stomach hurts. He was in so much pain he was shaking, his jaw was quivering. I know what I feel like when I have an ear infection or a sore throat, but I can tell someone, i can drive myself to the doctor or ask someone to do it for me. he is without words, what if I had missed it Monday morning? It had been bothering him the whole weekend while I was gone, what if I had made him go all day monday as well? I feel awful not knowing what he needs.
Puppy guilt, it’s a terrible thing.
Lastly, Maddies birthday is coming up on the 12th!! She will be a big girl 5! Of course we will have a party with cake and frosty paws and presents and spinning in circles! Ghengis will get presents as well, and at is party, maddie will get presents.
Seriously, folks, this is what happens when you are 32 and you have 2 dogs and no kids. Sad.