A Deviation

For the last few evenings my boyfriend has been watching a documentary on gangs. Now, I will be the first to tell you that Je deteste voilence.
But, there has been something from the documentary that has marked me for life. I've been bringing it up in almost every conversation I've had.

In Los Angeles there are neighborhood gangs that have such a strong hold of their "territories" (usually a ten block radius) that many will never leave. Ever. They can't. There are thousands. Thousands of young men and women who live less than 20 miles from the Pacific Ocean will live and die in Los Angeles without ever seeing it.

Can you wrap your mind around this? Because I couldn't. And since I am a talker (I swear, don't bring me to the movies, I'll drive you nuts), I had to know: "why can't they just change their shirt, and walk out?" "why don't they hide in the trunk and h ave someone drive them out?" "how about they just NOT join the gang?". I mean, it all sounded pretty common sense to me. I know that there is a paradigm shift that I am not understanding.

My biggest concern as of late has been how I'm going to get my hands on an anorak for this season. Last week I drove 30 minutes to get to the beach....

Three weeks ago I went surfing at Venice beach. I wonder how many lives in a twenty mile radius will never get to experience that?

Suddenly the anorak seems so far from my mind.