View Larger Map

I was told once that good writer should strive to transport the mind of the reader to a physical destination. I was told that if you can make the reader see the scene you paint you can consider yourself as acquiring the skill. As such I have often attempted to bring the mind of the reader to my neighborhood. Physically it is described as being just inside what as known as “The Northwest Quadrant” (where most of the violent crime in our City has the longest running tradition) at the Brentwood/Northshore border. Our Thugs represent every day but I\'ll admit that the Westside IS coming up.

I often paint a colorful image of my neighborhood because the indigenous criminal activity always provides good subject matter. The fact is that armed robberies and muggings are frequent events as are murders. I try to observe patterns as a means of measuring threats. Writing about it often sometimes makes Jacksonville appear to be a “Little Detroit”.

R.D. Walker had the opportunity to cruise my Hood two nights in a row. On the first night we traveled South on Main Street. It wasn’t quite dark yet and he doesn’t miss much, in fact he was heard to boast; “Nothing gets past me”. I will say that having seen him do what he does he is very tuned to the environment he knows and whatever it is that he is devoting his energies to, nothing DOES get past him. He’s what is known as a Presto Stracto Mister Exacto.

As we were passing through the Historic Springfield area he noted; “This doesn’t look so bad”. That’s true enough looking at it along Main Street but a couple of blocks in on either side and it’s a different story and each block is different. My block is fairly secure because it was once the city limit and my road is twice as wide as most of the others, so Police and Fire vehicles travel it frequently and that repels a lot of thuggery.

Tonight the dogs in the neighborhood a couple of blocks over started barking and the barking began to progress my way. I let the dogs out and went out to see what was going on. I heard someone on a loudspeaker the next block over but I couldn’t understand what was being said. There was no Police Helicopter overhead and I couldn’t hear one on the way. It just didn’t have that “Police Sound” to it at all. If anything it sounded Pink Floydesque.

As I listened and tried to determine what it was that I was hearing I saw a vehicle turn on to my street with its hazard lights flashing. It was a mini-van set up with a big loudspeaker on top like the Blues Mobile. It was traveling real slow and I could see people passing back and forth in front of the headlights. A lady was speaking and I strained to understand what was being said but all I could hear was bits and pieces at first.

“Macaroni and Cheese, Collard Greens, Mashed Potatoes and Gravy”. What? The only other thing I could hear was a series of loud mechanical bangs. I stood at the end of my driveway as the vehicle and the people came closer. The lady on the loudspeaker went on; “Thanksgiving morning at the Lee Community Center we are having Thanksgiving Dinner from ten in the morning until two in the afternoon. There is no charge and the whole neighborhood is invited. Bring your whole family. We want to feed at least a Thousand people. We’re gonna have Turkey, Ham, Roast Beef, Mashed Potatoes and Gravy and Dressing, Collard Greens, Macaroni and Cheese, Green Beans, Cranberry Sauce, all kinds of Desserts. We will have gifts as well as clothing and shoes for anybody who needs them. Come on down and eat with us”.

Women with posters were walking up the sidewalk on both sides of the road. As they came to each power pole they stopped and banged a poster to the pole with big commercial grade staple guns. I walked out to the mini-van and it came to a stop. I leaned my head in the window and said; “My God, you ladies are really putting Gods business out there for us tonight. Thank you for passing through my neighborhood and caring for us like that”. The elderly black lady smiled and said; “We are about our Fathers Business. He told us that we should feed his people”. She went on to tell me where the event was located, only two blocks from my house. I told her that I would be sure to be by and give them a donation but she told me it wouldn’t be necessary. I told her that I had to be about my Fathers Business too, when he gives it to me to do and that I knew that all that food didn’t fall from the sky. I told her that I was fortunate enough to be able to go to my Mothers House for Thanksgiving Dinner with my family but that I would be by our Fathers House along the way.

As I turned to walk away I told her; “With all the bad news we’ve been having all the time here lately it sure can get me down. Y’all have really warmed my heart tonight”. They were taking Gods Business to the streets, dark and dangerous streets and they feared no Evil because they had the ultimate firepower overhead. It was awesome to behold. I don’t care how bad it gets; God is going to take care of his people. My Faith is strengthened every day. A mighty fortress is our God and come what may we can face these dark times that await us secure in his hand if we choose to seek the refuge he provides.

Free food, clothes and shoes for a day is not going to save the world, but those people giving those things to those in need of their own free accord certainly WILL. This Thanksgiving should be celebrated with a happy heart as we count that many blessings God has bestowed on us throughout this year and look forward to his blessings throughout the next. I will celebrate this Thanksgiving with a happy heart. I have been highly blessed. I am especially thankful that I have this good story to tell about my neighborhood.

Share on Facebook