The Safest City

What a pleasure it is to rock away an un-seasonally warm afternoon on your neighbor’s front porch.

While admiring the flowers my new friend had just planted, we expressed hope that a late frost would not spoil her handiwork. We are very anxious for spring to arrive bringing both sunshine and rain to our gardens.

As we slowly sipped wine, and gazed around the neighborhood I was given a mini review of the people who live around us. As a homeowner of 20 years, on a street where most of the housing is rented by college students, my neighbor had a few colorful stories to share about the residents. As she spoke I began to realize that living in modern suburbia (my home in California) was far more colorful than the area I live in now.

My previous town was continually revered as one of the five safest cities in America. This being based on statistics of the ratio of violent crimes and felony crimes (against people) to the number of people living within the city. When I told my neighbor all the “colorful” events that had taken place on my tiny cul-de-sac she was shocked that we made the list. She compared my street to “Wisteria Lane”, of the popular television series, “Desperate Housewives”, and said I should write a book!

Oddly, when I lived in the “safest city” I still had fears of traveling through certain neighborhoods where I knew crime was high. There are no areas in this town where I fear to travel. No drive by shootings, no gangs walking their turf, no groups of drunken teens, hanging out in parking lots, behaving badly. I can walk my dogs day or night, relax in the park with a book, or stroll across Old Town and visit with strangers, all without trepidation.

Most of the crimes or “events” that took place in my suburban neighborhood where committed by people who were either crazy or executing acts against themselves or their families. Those crimes may not make the statistics, but the drama is the same. The crimes that take place in my current town don’t create a exhibition that has to be hashed over endlessly by its residents. Who needs such drama in their life? Not me, I am happy to give up “Wisteria Lane” any day for what I have now.