Blog Post #5 of 365
This entry may not be
what you thought it was if you go by the title but I couldn’t think of a better
title.
I live on the edge of several socio economic worlds. My
mailing address is Arcadia and for the most part my immediate neighbors would
be considered upper middle class. There are probably no millionaires but
definitely some high tax bracket let’s find a deduction types. The thing is I
live in an odd corner of Arcadia otherwise known as the county strip. Go few
streets in any direction and you are in a real city. Arcadia is to the north by
two streets. El Monte is across the wash to the south about 5 streets away.
Temple City is only one street away to the west. Each of these cities is vastly
different. I would venture a guess that there are several actual millionaires
to the north of us in Arcadia. I am judging by the types of cars these people
drive, clothes they wear and homes they build (after tearing down the normal
looking homes similar to the ones I grew up in and around) and attitudes they
have. The attitude of I get a new car because I want that one and not because a
lease is up or it is worn out or even the new one came out. A I want what I
want when I want it attitude. The people to the south in El Monte tend to drive
buckets (beat up older models) and most of their homes are generally smaller
and even less normal than the homes I knew as a kid. There are also way more
dive looking apartment buildings and homes. Even the better looking
homes/apartments are obviously owned by slumlords or people with few options
for improvements. The people to my west tend to live in the kind of homes those
northern folks of Arcadia level to make their Mc mansions. They drive a larger
variety of cars but I don’t see nearly the amount of Lexus, Mercedes, or Audis
etc. of my northern neighbors or the buckets of my friends to the south. Let’s call them your average Joe or a blend of
medium. My nearest neighborhood to the east beyond the county strip ends
against the wash and an industrial area.
Recently I have noticed a new kind of neighbor, the
homeless. They mostly show up close to the alley that separates the wealthy
northerners with the neutral mix of county strip folks. There are a lot of
businesses along the alley and every night I see at least one or two in a
doorway or on the sidewalk sleeping. During the day I see them walking the
alley with their bags digging in trashcans for food or recyclable items. To be honest
I first thought they were all looking for cans and bottles until I witnessed a
few grabbing at half eaten sandwiches. I wonder if any of my other neighbors
have noticed the new neighbors hanging around. The police have cleared out of
few so I know they noticed.
I like all of my neighbors. These are some of my
observations. Please note these are just observations and not judgments. There
is a definite difference in the languages. Many of my northern neighbors speak
a myriad of Asian languages, while many of my southern neighbors speak Spanish
and most of my western neighbors speak English sprinkled with a mix of many
other languages. These less than English speakers have helped me with patience.
I have learned if I can’t understand those with a strong accent it usually
works to ask them to repeat what they said more slowly so I can understand. Most
of them are happy to oblige. I have also really learned that cultural
differences are vastly different in some cases. What may be rude, funny,
appropriate or inappropriate in one culture may not be in another. I can cause
hurt feelings and worse.
I don’t really feel like I am a part of any one of the
groups I am surrounded by but more of an observer and one who to some degree
has been similar to them all. I feel like I can perhaps relate better than if I
had not had some of the cultural, economical, and social experiences they live with. My neighbors are so
diverse and I live right on the edge of all of it!
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