Notes from Big Red - 5

It’s been such a long time since I’ve written about life at Big Red. Since I’ve missed the opportunity to tell some great stories, I thought it was time to start up again.

Yesterday, while taking out a particularly toxic bag of trash (I’m cat sitting – so we have two now.) a Metro Police car pulled up. The officer waved – I waved back –and then walked on. Seconds later he was out of his car, asking me if I lived there.  Turns out, the Medical Direct Club offices had a silent alarm tripped and he was checking on the situation.

The officer was very curious about Big Red. He said he had no idea it was an apartment building and he was quite surprised that I would live there since this was “The most dangerous area in the city.”

What?

Oh yeah. Turns out that all the homeless services across the street are not so much a haven for the down and out as much as for the serious sexual offender. Sure, I would expect some crime in that area – cars get broken into all the time. But the officer told me that stabbings, rapes, etc. are the norm over at Catholic Charities and Room In the Inn almost weekly. He said I should be packing a gun at all times of the day. Turns out there are some serial rapists who enjoy the charities of our civic and religious outreaches.

He made serious suggestions for me to protect myself.  First – get a gun permit. Second – get a .32 and carry it on my person at all times. (Jesus, really?) Third – also carry a knife – just in case. Fourth – remember to start shooting sooner than later. (This part he demonstrated, showing several different scenarios of all the bad things that could happen if I allowed an attacker to come too close.)

In the mean time, he suggested I get mace immediately and hold it (ready to spray) in my hand at all times outside the building.

Now I’m sufficiently freaked out.

The last thing he said to me: “Don’t forget to shake the can of mace before you spray.”