Blog#6 You can hear the Bullet

There can be many, many topics. But there is only one truth! I may not have been the first to say it, but I'm the last in a short line to live it.
Many years before the Time Warner building was thought of. Before the Montana block the sunlight on my grandmothers avacado plants on the fire escape. Before high rises cluttered Amsterdam ave. We stood tall on the streets of the upper Westside of Manhattan. Before gentrefication and the Gov't got in bed with the landlords to rid the city by terminating rent control and allowing stabilization to rise so that only those making salaries in the high 5 figures could live in Manhattan. Working class people could actually hold there heads up and walk with pride in their neighborhoods.
The few exceptions are those who have lived in there apartments for over 30 years and still had payable rents. But that small group only stay cause they can't afford to move anywhere else. These poor people often have to endure abuse and harassment by there yuppie neighbors who are angry for having to pay so much more for usually less space.
Back them however was a time when living in the 212, was really being a New Yorker. There were still communities in Manhattan. Now with all the high rises there are really only a few areas that have that flavor that living in areas like the West Village, or Tribeca or Chelsea had.
But living on the Upper Westside was special. Jr. High or middle school was in the area. W77st & Columbus ave. Across from The Museum of Natural History. I'd cut school to go to the museum.Then I went first to Manhattan Voc. Tech. on E96st. for a year. The last 3 yrs. of High School were at H.H. Lehman H.S. in the Bronx. No matter what the day was like I would always rush to get back around the block. There was always something to do or get ready for. Home work, eat, sleep and get up at 11pm. to go dancing at some club down town. I can't even begin to tell you how many times we'd break night and watch the sun come up from a traffic Island on Broadway or from either Riverside or Central Park. And we'd make it to school the next day! It wasn't all about crime, drugs, sex and wildness. Alot of it was cooling out with the fellas. And it became even more fun when the girls were there.