But life here isn't bad. We have some great local shopping:
a dollar store. a discount liquor store, a shady "family" video store, a bowling alley, a low-end grocery store and this classy establishment:
In my opinion, it's just a step down from prostitution, but hey, if it helps you pay the bills or fund some illegal extra-curricular activities, at least you are saving lives. There's just one catch: after your first week, you can only make $40 per week.The people here are nice. In fact, I met some neighbors while I was out walking the other day. Here's a little bit of our conversation:
Girl A: Hi!
Girl B: Hi! Do you have a baby or a dog?
Me: Um..hi. No. I'm going to have a baby, but I don't have a dog. Are you out here alone?
Girls A & B: Yeah! We are building stuff. As they move closer I can see dirt and grime smudged on their faces. Yes, they have been building stuff.
Me: Neat. How old are you?
Girl A: I'm six.
Girl B: I'm ten
Girl A: No she's not. She's seven.
Girl B: No. I was seven last year.
Me: Um...so wouldn't that make you eight?
Girl B: Uhhhh...I mean, last year I was nine. Riiiiiiiight.
Girl A: eyeing my ipod. Is that an ipod?
Me: Yes.
Girl B: Can I have your ipod?
Me: No. I need it.
Girl B: Will you buy me an ipod?
Me: No. I don't know you. I barely met you five minutes ago.
Girl B: I know you. I saw you at Wal-Mart. I'm thinking at this point that she might actually be telling the truth but she continues. You work with my mom.
Me: Um...no i don't. Are you girls sisters?
Girl A: Nope. We're cousins. But I'm not supposed to get too close to her.
Me: Is she sick?
Girl B: Nope.
Girls A & B: Head lice!
Me: Ohhh......um...I need to get home and make dinner.
With that, they insist that I give them high fives before I go, which I reluctantly do. I do not touch anything with that hand until it has been thoroughly disinfected. I don't have pictures of the girls, but I do have pictures of some pretty sweet rides that our other neighbors have. Check these babies out:
Apparantly if I really want to "keep up with the Joneses" around here, I've got to pimp out my minivan with some nice rims like these. Here's a close look:
If you still aren't convinced that we live in an interesting part of town, maybe this will convince you:
Does it mean:
Grill?
Grill?
-OR-
Grill?
I think we all know what is really implied by that street sign. And for the record, Flava Flav is NOT our neighbor. But he might like it around here.
With that said, did I mention that we live near a golf course?
Well....a frisbee golf course. And, surprisingly, it's a pretty popular place. People even go on cold and windy days.
So, there you have it. Consider yourselves (those of you that will be visiting soon) sufficiently prepared. We really do have nice neighbors. Kenta's sister lives next door and some college boys with guitars live upstairs. Our landlady is nice and Kenta has even gotten to speak Japanese with a couple that lives a few doors down. So don't be afraid. Bring the family! We have our air mattress waiting for you. And if the weather is nice, we can go golfing.
14 comments:
Oh, your'e killin me smalls! I know those girls, they go to my children's school. Their mamas drive their "22'S" to pick them up at after school day care. Their the ones who taught Hudson what the middle finger means. You failed to mention what is across the street from you..... a bowling alley, some boarded up section 8 apts. and an abandoned Braums. But the road work is finished outside your complex, so it sure does look nice! A little shout out for the "EAST SIDE!"
Haha! You are so funny! I only wish that kids with head lice lived in my neighborhood!!! Which, I'm sure many of them do - as parents in my ward don't find it necessary to take their kids home after they puke in the halls at church.
Oh Kendall how I´ve missed the laughs!! You´re a crack up! Do you get Snoop Dog music in the background while going to sleep?
Plasma (the kind that you get paid to donate) doesn't actually "save" lives. It can't be directly transfused into anyone if the donor is paid. At best, it's processed into clotting factor 8 which helps hemopheliacs. It also is manufactured into certain products like makeup. Just FYI.
Ah! I laughed so hard my side hurts Hood! Imagine one day..your babe will go to school with kids like that. :) LOVE YA!
Okay, that is BAD. A good kind of bad...and I love how the frisbee golf is chained up, like someone has stolen them before. You did fail to mention the nasty daycare in that same strip mall as the Plasma place, you know, the one that has the "playground" in the parking lot. Good stuff.
Oh I laughed so hard at this post! I had to send the link to my husband who served his mission in Georgia and understands the ghetto as well! You're going to have to brush up on your ebonics just to fit in around there. How are you feeling by the way?
Why does it say "Rusty's Frozen Custard" at the top of your blog? I want some frozen custard.
I have still never been to your apartment, which is sad. I think my favorite part of your story was your conversation with those girls. Maybe if I talk to random people and ask them to give me their stuff, it'll pay off.
Do you mean if you start to talk to random people and it paying off meaning you'll get lice or you'll have interesting conversations? I assumed it was the conversations but maybe not...
I just have to say that you made me laugh! I so miss your spunk! Hope you keep your doors locked 24/7.... those girls might be looking for your ipod! LOL This is Julie if you haven't figured that out yet!
You know, Ben bought a bike with blood money from that very same plasma donation site. So don't diss it too hard - it was a great bike, until it got stolen.
I have a memory from your 'hood. I was filling up the Scout at the 7-Eleven and the automatic shutoff failed, ejecting the nozzle from the gas tank and spraying the whole side of the truck with unleaded. Don't believe me? Ask the missionaries who were riding past on their bikes, waving hello right as it happened. Thank goodness that was way back when gas was $.80/gallon.
I am being swept over with guilt...I suppose I should have mentioned that I do have friends and family that have donated their plasma for worthy causes. There are, no doubt, people who have really needed the plasma money to pay rent, buy food, etc. However, the place still creeps me out.
You are so funny! I will say I may have spotted Flava Flav driving in the neighborhood! ;) Wait, maybe that was the guys gang tagging the apartments across the street from me! Anyway, it's all the same right?! At least you don't have random people knocking on your door with their 4 year old daughter informing you that you are now watching their child once a week for $10 a visit and they've never met you before! I love Oklahoma however this is the least ghetto place I've lived! Tecumseh and Ada have outdone Norman by far!
I never thought of it that way! Made me laugh. Norman felt so safe and I lived in the complex next to you. You're still James' favorite primary teacher.
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