WOW, what a fun storm this has been! I decided to put down my shovel yesterday and go for a long adventuresome walk. I was told, and I truly believe this, that I live very close to the greatest divide in the U.S. today. The greatest contrast between wealth and poverty is here in Baltimore. The divide is Greenmount Ave. and the area of greatest divide is right up the street form me, where Pen Lucy and Guilford meet. So I ventured down Argonne Drive to where it turns into 39th. street with my camera in hand and
Love Peace Project pumping through my head phones.I found that the people on my side (the poor east side of 39th.) were all out helping each other, being quite friendly, responding to my hellos. I had a full conversation with one guy as we walked up the street together. I noticed the side streets were no where close to being passable and 39th. was barely a one plowed ice cover lane. As I crossed Greenmount in to Guilford I noticed a big difference even on 39th. street. Two lanes, almost 4 lanes were plowed. The neighbors were out watching one guy with his snow blower clearing Juniper Street. They were all out laughing and gathering walking their dogs. Most of their sidewalks had already been cleared. I noticed a sign on one door exclaiming "No Shoveling". Heavens if anyone on this neighborhood would support anyone trying to make a buck here or there, especially in this economy! No responses to my hello's except the three guys coming through yelling "The Good Guys are here"! I'm sure they were from my side of the street. And I think the snow blower guy said hello too. But that was it. The rest gave me the paranoid stare. I ended up at my friend Spilly's house in Oakenshawe where we continued the day of adventure of hula hooping in the streets, sled riding down Wyman Park hills and a well deserve afternoon nap. My walk home was greeted by the sun set, more friendly hello's on the east side and welcoming of the crows that lined the trees of my street. Today, I guess I have to begin the dig out of my car. I really wished we would all just chill and go out for long walks and adventures and leave our cars under the snow for a while.
