Charm City

"Frank Reid" wrote in
oups.com:

http://www.thewbalchannel.com/news/9229472/detail.html
"Couple jailed for asking directions"
Isn't it nice of Baltimore to put a nice couple who's lost in a room
for the night? That city is really accommodating. I sometimes wonder
why I left.
Frank Reid




I got seriously lost in Cleveland once. I was looking for a business, but
I had the wrong street name, and I ended up in a scary place. I grew up in
Brooklyn, lived in B'more and Cleveland, and it takes a good bit to scare
me in a neighborhood, but I was scared. Every other building was boarded
up or burned out, and there were crack dealers on just about every corner.

Finally, I drive by a housing cop walking down the street in body armor,
carrying a shotgun. I pull up to him, got out of the car, and said "I'm
lost". He gives me the once over three times, finally decides I wasn't in
the neighborhood to buy crack, and says "You're lost". He asked where I
was trying to get to. I immediately gave up my plans to find the business
I was looking for, and asked for directions back to Cleveland Heights. He
said (and I'm paraphrasing) "Go down this street until you get to that
street, and take a right. Until you get to point X, don't stop for red
lights". I did just what the nice officer told me to do.
--
Scott
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