FIGHT CRIME! DO YARDWORK! (STORY 1)


How I have finally begun to take back ownership of my corner at Union and Kenilworth in Rochester. First story (more to come).

I had fun today. Now that I understand about street theater, I am really driving the dealers crazy.

Warm, sunny afternoon...great day to do some yard work. So I was out. Started in the back then moved round front just picking up trash. Then decided to do some major work -- raking, digging, etc.

While I was out back one of the guys came to the fence, said "You could pay me to do that." I grinned, said "no thanks, I like doing this work myself."

"Well, Happy Easter," he said.

"Happy Easter," I replied. He went down Kenilworth, crossed to the other side of the street, and sat for a while watching me. I called Bertha, just to let her know where I was and what I had seen. The guy moved.

Emboldened, I started working my up the side, raking, etc. Then decided to go round front and dig some space for flowers.

They were VERY unhappy.

They tried lots of things. Sending people down my side of the street. I looked up, said "Hi!" They tried dealing in front of me. Well, that I couldn't let go or they would think they could do that in my face. So I moved around to the north side, out of sight, and called Bertha. I am sure they thought I was calling 911, because the buyer split in a hurry.

Another thing -- several of them came down the street and I could smell the marijuana cig. Well, I'm not going to call on MJ. Not even Bertha.

Whole bunch of other stuff, but I'm just grinning. I knew they were getting tired of me being out front and they were going pull some stunt to try to scare me away.

Sure enough. Suddenly there was a whole lot of yelling on the north side of the store, out of my sight. Then a big crowd of them pulls around front, yelling like they are having a big fight.

I just grin and keep on working like nothing is happening. They get louder and louder.

I knew they were expecting me to either get scared and go inside or call 911 (or both) -- and when the officer got there they would just say, oh it was no big deal. We weren't fighting, just playing around. And I would look like "scared, crazy white lady who doesn't know what's what."

So I wasn't buying a single bit of it. And honestly, I thought it was hysterical. At one point I couldn't help myself -- I just started laughing out loud. I mean, they even included a bit of rapping. What a performance! I wanted to tell them they should go on tv.

It was all I could do to keep myself from sitting right down and rolling all over the grass.

Eventually, as expected, they quieted down and disappeared back around the corner. They must be TOTALLY confused by me!

I kept working. In the meantime, the guy I've identified as "topdogdealer" came up from Kenilworth. I know his face AND the upscale sporty sweatsuits he likes to wear. He starts conferring with his boys. I keep working. He goes inside the store.

I know they called him in because they had to explain why they weren't able to sell their stuff today. And to get some help figuring out what to do about "that bitch" (I did hear one of them use that term at one point -- what they don't know is that I sing: B-I-T-C-H, B-I-T-C-H, B-I-T-C-H, and bitch is my name-o).

At that point, I figured I've done enough (both in terms of yard work and in terms of putting on my own show), and I have shown them they can't scare me with that street theater crap, so I gathered my things and went back inside.

What a day. Grinning from ear to ear.

Posted: Sun - April 16, 2006 at 10:01 AM          

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