Category: Living in Shaw

Who’s that knocking on the door

Be on the look out for weird people coming to your door. There was a story on I think in the Truxton Circle Dispatch (of which I can’t bring up because the archive is screwy) about a woman knocking on the door of a female resident at night asking about the house next door in a somewhat confused manner. Which in itself is nothing to write about but the knocking woman was also peering through the window of the female resident. Window peeping is off limits.
Then a few days later on the Mount Vernon Square discussion list a resident wrote:

Please be aware of a suspicious person in the neighborhood who may come to your door and ask for Metro directions or money. Today, an individual, white male, thin build, approximately 35 years old, approx 5’6″-5’8″, light hair, mustache, wearing a light shirt and dark jacket, came to my door about 4:00pm asking for directions to the Metro. I know this guy- as I almost arrested him about two months ago after he became belligerent when I wouldn’t give him Metro money in exchange for his “work tools”. At that time, he was extremely belligerent and was crossing the line to attempted assault when I identified myself as law enforcement. Had I not, I’m sure it would have escalated into a physical altercation. His quick change of demeanor made me suspect he was under the influence of narcotics. He claimed to work on one of the construction projects on 6th. Funny that in two months of “working” in the neighborhood, he doesn’t know where Metro is. He just caught me off guard actually coming to my door today at the same time I was expecting someone else. Lesson to all of us to be careful – especially around he
holidays…..

I think I ran into contractor/need help with the metro guy several months ago on 5th St when he asked me for money for the metro. I see he’s making house calls. That is troubling.

Cancelled Party

Cancelled Party

I was planning a pretty good party. For All Saints Day, Nov 2, a few friends, a few copies of historical documents, some readings, & food.

But my contractor wants to start early. Party cancelled.

I got to clean out the dining room to make a staging area for the kitchen redo. Toss out some things, box alot of things, toss out the non-functioning CD player, and figure out how I’m going to live without a kitchen for nearly a month…. 2 words. Hot plate.

Truxton Fantasy

Truxton Fantasy #1

I ask my best friend Mikey a lot of stupid questions like, if you had $10 million dollars… and such. But today I asked myself a stupid question, if I had the power to change the character and nature of Truxton Cirlce (Eastern Shaw) what would I change it to?

Transportation

1. I’d make it way easy to catch a cab on New Jersey or Rhode Island, regardless of the hailer’s color or destination. Cabbies are evil and at times hard to find.

2. I’d allow left handed turns on New York Avenue. Anyone who has gotten stuck on NY trying to turn left KNOWS what I’m talking about.

3. I’d put rumble strips on residential roads.

4. Mt. Sinai Baptist would build a parking garage, that residents can use M-F.

People/Residents

1. Diversity balance would be maintained. Meaning families, seniors, whites, blacks, latinos, asians, gays, straights, professionals, blue color workers, low income folks, college kids, teens, natives, immigrants, English-speaking, ESL folks, car people, metro people, joggers, walkers, cyclists, fat/cubby/chunky people, ana-looking women, athletic beautiful people all have a place in the neighborhood.

2. There would be a good critical mass of civic minded involved citizenry who would dedicate themselves to the improvement of the neighborhood. There are such people now, but not a critical mass of them.

3. Residents and guests would respect the people of the neighborhood by not dumping trash in the alleys and on the streets. Nor would they roll through with loud thumping bass. Nor would they honk their horns as an alternative to knocking on their intended’s door.

4. People would take pride in their homes and themselves.

Business/Commerical

1. There would be 2-3 decent sit down eateries, at least 1 table-cloth’ed restaurant (think Mimi’s not Subways) either in Truxton Circle or along 7th Street between S and P.

2. The commerical strip would be dotted with businesses that promote walking and provide an environment for neighbors and friends to run into one another.

3. There would be only a small handful of liquor stores and those stores would sell only decent quality beverages. Few 40s, few MD 20/20, few Wild Irish Rose. The bulk of their sales would not be from things that get you smashed real fast. They would have a good selection of red wines.

4. A bookstore would exist in my fantasy version of the hood. That or a Krispy Kreme. Actually, I can go downtown for books, give me a Krispy Kreme.

Okay, now I got KK on the brain. If you’ve had a fresh, hot Krispy Creme dougnut, you know what I mean.

drool.

Trading Up – Neighbors move

Trading Up
I told my neighbor I wouldn’t tell anyone how much she’s selling her house for, so I won’t. But it is a sh*tload of $$. She deserves every single cent of it. She lived in the house for a little under 9 years. She’s going to trade in a townhouse with leaky basement and no parking for a house with a yard and a garage in BFE Maryland. All the cool stuff in the city that is attracting people means nothing to her. She has a car and kids. Metro and clubs don’t mean squat. Good schools and no shooting and no (as my Daddy would put it) dumbas$ n*ggas hanging out, that is what she wants and needs.
At the price the house is going for apparently only whites can afford it, so the demographics of the block will head in a particular direction. Called ET and told her to score one point for her people. Last month a white couple moved in on one end of the block, changing the trend of houses on the north end changing demographically from black renters to white homeowners and renters, so now the Euro-Americans are coming from both ends.
I am so thankful she did not decide to rent the house out to get Section 8 money. I pray to G-d above that Mr. Mesfin will sell his house too. Last I spoke to him he STILL had not decided if he was going to rent or sell. I hope he sells because I can tell he’s cheap and will be a slumlord.