have I mentioned that I love my neighborhood

The Tangoing Mennonite is not so in love with my neighborhood, so he asked me why I love it. So, I've been thinking.

I love that thunder usually warns me before there's rain. Just now I heard thunder so got on my bike and rode around, knowing I'd be forced back in before long.

First I saw Homeless Guy whose name I don't remember. He's usually around here and people give him chores to do so he can get by. This is one of the things I love here - Hustla, for example, pays him to do yardwork or other things she's paid to do. She is scraping by and has had to wait weeks to earn enough money to pay to get her car out of the shop, but she is still helping out the more needy.

Then I rode around thinking of all the things I love here. I seriously fall in love with the houses every time I see them - I look wistfully through all these neighborhoods. And I love that one street up and over there's a ton of work being done on houses falling apart. I love that while this neighborhood is really predominantly Black, I do see Latinos and Whites and Asians as well. I love that everybody (except the teenagers who are too cool everywhere) waves and says hello as I bicycle around. I love that there are old couples sitting outside on their porches together, friends chatting, neighbors catching up. [This is what the Tangoing Mennonite doesn't love - that people are sitting around not doing anything. I'm going to convince him it's a very good thing. Because I know that people drive through here and think, "Those good-for-nothings just sitting around and lazy!" But the reality is that everybody I know sitting around works at least one full-time job and they're sitting around after work is over. Instead of being inside watching a TV, they're outside living their neighborhood. There are also retired people, and how much of a better life they have to watch the world from their stoop rather than be cooped up in some retirement home.]

I love how clean the air feels after a rain. Right now it's going at it hard and I love opening my doors to feel it.

I love that when raindrops started falling and I rushed back home, as I chatted up Hustla who told me what was up, the Homeless Guy Whose Name I Can't Remember told me I needed more air in my back tire.

He's worried about basic survival and he takes the time out from getting out of the rain to be courteous to me.

I love my neighborhood.