when we moved in 25 years ago, our neighborhood was different. my sis's and i were really the only kids. we used to sit on the porch on summer nights and watch the start, which you can see, though not as good as if you'd go out in the country.
in the last 10 years or so the neighborhood has gone downhill a bit. people die, their houses get turned into rentals...we had a guy murdered in our alley about 5 years ago...heard the shot. my mom was nearly mugged going to the store several years back.
it's not great but...well the city council doesn't live around here(they live on the west side of town which was prairie when we moved into our house) and ...it's central topeka, no one really cares. '
i'm not saying it's a slum or anything, just that most of the folk living here are just renting and...neighborhood associations can only do so much.
i've gotten used to the police chopper or medeval flying over head, just like the ambulances going down the street a block away doesn't wake me up anymore...it's just part of the landscape.
i spent so many years sleeping with a streetlight shining in my window, when i spent the night at my grandparent's house i had a hard time sleeping cuase it was too dark. and too quiet.