soapboxdiner

Gunshots in the night

I may kid a lot about how trashy my neighborhood is - everything from broken mailboxes - to lakes of water in the streets - to my neighbors who hold parties out in the streets in the middle of the night and let their guests come into my yard and sit on my car to smoke their cigarettes.

But I tell you something, it is 3:01 a.m. right now, and there are six police officers in front of my house. In their guard (or at least within my sight line) there are four people kneeling on the ground and cursing loudly in Spanish.

At 2:15 a.m. this morning, 45 minutes ago, there was a loud pop reverberating through the echo chamber of my cul-de-sac, either a gun shot or a firecracker. I couldn't tell which. Seconds later, there was a loud thud heard from inside my neighbor's house. Seconds later, two people ran out. Another walked out, stood under the street light pacing and lit a cigarette. Moments later, he was joined by another man. It got quiet for a moment, and then a man dressed only in a T-shirt ran through the street into another house. Following him was a man dressed only in boxer shorts.

Another police car just pulled up. His cruiser is idling loudly just on the other side of the wall behind my computer desk. He joins the officer with the assault rifle, both of whom are standing behind my car.

They are asking for identification from all these people. They are writing things down.

Now there is a siren heard approaching. God only knows what's happening. What the fuck is happening on my street? This isn't LA. This isn't Compton. What the fuck?

A man was just handcuffed and placed into the cruiser in front of my house. There are flashlights waving through my window. One of the cops has a paper bag he's placed on top of his lights.

I am witnessing the live version of COPS, right in front of my fucking house. Did someone get shot next door tonight? Is that why there are seven police officers slamming car doors at 3 a.m. in my midst?

I tell you, people. I'm not cut out to live in a war zone. I'm not cut out to live in a place where people are shooting at each other and running naked through the streets. This isn't normal, people. Civilized human beings don't create situations like this. There are children here! There are two of them under school age right in that house, right now. Their son plays with mine.

Fuck. I'm all freaked out now. What the fuck?

Now there's a canine unit sniffing through the street. Odding reminiscent of that time in November, only without the helicopters. Are they dealing drugs?

God, I really wish I spoke better Spanish. They are screaming in the streets and I can't make a damned thing out. There's naked guy again. Fuck - put some clothes on. It's gotta be 35-40 degrees out.

I'm am rivotted out of sheer disgust and horror.

How am I supposed to sleep now? I mean, I can hear everything that goes on over there anyway - what with the houses being so poorly insulated. Sound just ampliflies off the houses. I can hear the neighbors walking down their halls. I have to turn the TV up to mask it. Don't even get me started on their music, because there is no blocking the tuba and kick drum bass lined salsa music.

I'm not one to make a big stink about this place. I'm not. I barely pay any rent here, which is all I can afford. But these people have to go. Tomorrow I'm calling the land lady. This is the fifth time in a year that the police have been here in the middle of the night, and now (possible) shootings and (suspected) drugs - and arrests too now?

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Well, three of the cruisers just left. no ambulance arrived, so my guess is nobody's dead next door. Two people have been arrested that I have seen. Still some cops wandering around outside. It's relatively quiet now.

This is just fucked up. I live in fear here, people. Oh shit. More cops just pulled up again.

I hope everyone's okay and nobody's been hurt over there tonight.

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It's 3:45 now. The police are taping off the street to encompass three cars, the street light and the neighbor's house. I guess it was a gun shot that rang out just an hour and a half ago. When asked if it was a gunshot, one of the five new officer's on the street stepped under the scene tape and flashed his light at me standing in my open window. He paused for a minute and then said, "Uh... We think so."

The funny thing is, their house was quiet tonight. I mean, there are lots of nights when they are really throwing down. But tonight I didn't even know they had people over. Just silent. Then, out of the blue at 2:15, there's a gunshot and all hell breaking loose.

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I guess there isn't much else to say. It's 4 a.m. The police are still arriving and departing and arriving again. They stand around aimlessly and intersperse random ground searches in the grassy parking area outside the scene tape.

I'm tired but wouldn't be able to sleep to save my life right now. There is a large well of bile burning my throat and I am shaking. I don't know if it is fatigue, spent fear, or both. Probably both, I guess.

I guess I'll just go to bed now. Nothing to see here, right?

Next time I write about how much I hate these neighbors... I hope it will be unquestionably accepted as gospel fact. I hate these people. I hate what they've brought into my safe, peaceful little corner of the world. I hate what they've taken from it.

2:59 am - 02.22.03
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