Ask; Don’t Steal!

Posted: August 2nd, 2009

I’m sitting here next to an open window, basking in the breeze, when I hear some urgent whispering and rustling sounds. I look out and see two guys pulling on the branches of our apple tree that the tree is bowed. I mean, they are really tugging hard without regard for the tree at all. (It has been loose in the ground since the last major storm and we’re worried it won’t make it. We’re surprised it bloomed at all, considering. Anyway, people yanking on it is obviously not only bad for the tree, but dangerous for them too.)

We deal with people trespassing on our property and stealing our fruit every year. It’s getting really fucking old. The trees have to be professionally cared for and it isn’t cheap. We’d like to enjoy some of our own fruit that we’ve spent time and money to grow. I don’t think that is unreasonable. We tell the neighbors that anyone is welcome to have some, as long as they just konck on the door and ask us first- don’t trespass and don’t steal. We’ll give them some. Seems fair, right?

And yet there are still people who help themselves. And when we catch them, we are way too fucking nice, in my opinion. We ask them to please stay out of the yard and not to take the fruit without asking. Then, we give them some!  Today, the neighbors across the street were livid that we came out and did this. They ranted and raved about how we had no right to accuse anyone of anything… BUT I SAT HERE AND WATCHED THEM WHILE THEY DID IT and our neighbors were sitting out on their front porch facing the tree, so there’s absolutely no way they could not or did not see them!

I can’t help but feel like we’re victims of racism here. Our house sits on the corner of an intersection and we’re the only white family on that particular street. I feel like everyone takes up for their homies in the hood, but thinks “fuck whitey.” There sure seems to be some sort of stereotyping and “rob from the rich, steal from the poor” mentality going on. The irony is, we have as little as most of the families in this depressed area. We’re struggling too.

I wish we could find some sense of unity for the sake of the neighborhood. We want it to be a nice place to live. We want it to be a safe place to live.  We’d never dream of trying to run people out of it to suit our standard, but I have to admit, I cannot wait until I can move somewhere else. Where ever I go, it will have its own unique set of problems. I understand that, but it doesn’t mean I have to accept it. There’s a place that is a good fit for me. I don’t know where it is, but I’m positive that it isn’t here.

Share This Post: