I've lived in Chicago (Elmhurst) for about 19 months and I've been to more places in the city than people who have lived here for 40 years. I've been to and thru many supposedly bad neighborhoods in the city, during the day and night. I've cruised down Martin Luther King Drive between Chinatown and 103rd, Halsted from Cabrini all the way to Sibley, Division from Cabrini to Pulaski, The "K"'s, Western from Morgan Park to 159th, Cottage Grove and Lake Park Ave down thru Chatham and Pullman neighborhoods, and many more. I've been thru all those places on weekends, late at night, and in the summer, stopped at those infamous chicken, rib, fish joints to get food, and never had anybody bother me once. I wonder why that is? I'm white, I'm from Kansas, I definitely didn't belong down in those areas.
Maybe I'm just lucky, or maybe it has something to do with me looking like an NFL fullback, or maybe it has something to do with how I acted. I got an extremely valuable piece of info from a couple of friends of mine who happen to be native residents of those areas. They told me that all you have to do is pretend like you know exactly what you are doing and where you are going, and don't care or even appear to notice what is happening around you. Sounds simple, right? It works, I've tried it many times. I'm not suggesting that you do what I have done and voluntarily venture into the areas mentioned above. I am saying that they are only as bad as the amount of fear that you have and SHOW. God knows I was quite fearful at times, but nobody knew it. People will leave you alone if you mind your own business and stay out of theirs.
Be careful, be courteous, and enjoy the exciting diversity the Chicago has to offer. It is an amazing experience!
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on Nov 16, 2003
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