Dangermond.org

G called to meet her and Y at LeVitra – M’s brother is in town and S’s son is in as well. Seconds later, J called saying she hadn’t left for Houston and to walk over have a glass of wine and sit outside and enjoy the beautiful sky. My foot said uh uh – so I stayed in and read the paper with my foot propped up (dreading NY because I don’t know how it is going to be having to walk around so much). I called my mom back. While I was on the phone with her, Joe pulled up – the sky was purple and there was a full moon right in front of me. He said he had just come from a picnic in the park and he came up on the porch and sat on the rocker – I said Joe I’m busy, I’m on the phone with my mom and getting ready for a trip. He said I’ll watch out for you while you’re gone.

As he drove away, I looked at that full moon and new where the tug of dissonance was coming from – the Eli’s coming feeling – something deeper than any of us can articulate.

Be gone most of the week for business in New York – much as I love it there – wanting to be close to home instead – the weather here is ideal right now – actually inching towards humid and warm – and I’m just starting to be ambulatory again and I miss walking the bayou in the morning and I miss my bike rides.

Got up this morning with that Eli’s Coming feeling and it could have been the phone call last night from G about M. But nevertheless, I went for a walk with the Bean around the bayou and felt a little uneasy. Then I came back and talked to my neighbors about the fence I am putting up – saying some options etc – but I felt awkward and felt as if for some reason they weren’t happy about the fence – and these are not my bad neighbors.

J came over and we were talking about what color to paint her house and I told her about the fence and she said when she put her wrought iron fence up one of the neighbors complained and said that the “neighbors” had discussed it and were against the fence. But she said she had a vision for what the house would be like and now everyone loves it. She said same thing here – you have a vision – you’ve stated your desire to be inclusive – now do what you damn well please.

TL and I went to the House & Garden show later and then met up with G for the Stella calling contest – the tail end of the Tennessee Williams Festival – we ran into the NOLAfugee.com gang coming out of Le Petit Theater where the finalist were announced – and apparently I missed the paper today where J got broad coverage for his new book. Awesome. But I looked at the gang and thought to myself – everyone of them voted for Nagin – why is that?

No one yells Stella like Marlon Brando – no one.

I told G she needs to infiltrate this Turkish network and find out how it works around here. We were sitting at La Vita or as we have fondly begun to call it – Levitra – and learning new Turkish words – so far I know how to say Hello, My name is __, and I want to make love to you NOW, and Please. Fatma and Moosey feel that these are all the words I need in my vocabulary for a trip to Istanbul.

I ended up going home because I was tired and G called to tell me that M was upset with me because he misunderstood something or rather R had said something to him that made him think there was a misunderstanding. So this morning I got up and called M and when he told me he was at CC’s – I said I’m coming over to talk to you.

When I got there I could tell he was taken aback but once I told him I wanted to clear the air I think he took it well. I like M and I’m glad to have this Turkish clan in our midsts. But it’s odd – they are so clannish, while most Americans are all about independence not dependence. M says they work harder because they’re immigrants and we Americans take for granted what we have here. I think they are culturally very different – we work hard here too, but we also like fences, and separate housing for our family members.

Sometimes it’s hard to please everyone all the time – so you got to please yourself.

Yesterday, I went by Swirl to see the girls and hang outside on a semi sunny afternoon. They were making dinner plans with friends and D told B&K to pick her up so that she wouldn’t have to go home alone. In her area, down by Gentilly, a woman was badly beaten – pistol whipped almost – all for her wallet.

The day before, another girlfriend confessed to me that she was held at gunpoint and raped many years ago in the Marigny and that is why she is obsessed with safety and protection.

Earlier that morning, I told TL that I wouldn’t ride my bike along the lakefront from Bucktown headed towards Kenner because at times there are not a lot of people around and it doesn’t feel safe. It was the second time I had told him I wouldn’t ride my bike somewhere – the first was deep within the bowels of City Park – where I don’t feel safe because there aren’t a lot of people. He chided me – saying that a moving person is not a target – I disagree – women (moving or standing still) – are always targets. It’s something a 6’2″ man can’t understand.

It’s not being robbed that scares me – it’s being beaten or raped – and that is where the great gender divide exists. I’m a 5’8″ female – and as strong as I am, men are stronger, even shorter men are stronger. Trust me, I know this.

Here is the recent email chain that is going around my neighborhood right now – one bad apple is causing a lot of consternation and distress:

*****

Please warn all the ladies in the Mid-City Area.
 
This guy hit 2 more times since I sent this out today Uptown, …please be on the look out!!!
Car was described as a old Black Mitsubishi has body damage no plate but something in the back window like a temp plate.
 
—– Original Message —–
From: Val Cupit
To: Undisclosed-Recipient:;
Sent: Thursday, March 29, 2007 3:08 PM
Subject: ***CRIME ALERT BULLETIN***

The following is the description of our newest “Most Wanted.”
 
Wanted for a string of Armed Robbery and Purse snatchings along the Carrollton Ave. area.
 
Has not hit in Lakeview YET.
He is targeting as of yesterday the Mid-City Carrollton area around Orleans Ave.
Primarily day light hours. Ladies have been his victims thus far.
 
Wanted subject:
Blk male, medium complexion, 5’9″ to 5’11” tall,
175 to 200 lbs., 20 to 30 YOA, No hair – Bald.
Vehicle used for several incidents uptown was a black older car, early 1990’s, mid-sized, possible some body damage.
 
If you see a vehicle matching this description with the above mentioned, please call 911 immediately.