I remember a time in 1970 a friend of mine from home and I headed to DC to spend a few days with one of his friends before he went to his new Job at the NSA and I was heading to my last 6 months in the USAF in Dover Delaware. We spent a few days on our own seeing DC. His buddy made sure which bus to ride on to get to where we were going and at what times to get home before dark.. He said"now do what I say, or don't go". He also informed us to make sure to not leave anything in the car before we even went into his apt. when we got there.
All went well while following his instructions. One day we walked to a corner drug store to pick up some things and the white owner was a nice guy and friendly but he had to excuse himself several times to herd the black kids (pretty young) to the cash register to pay, and lock the door until he let the other kids out. (I think he knew all of their names and was very nice to them, and they liked him) . He explained to George and I that was just the way it was. They would steal him blind if he didn't.
All I can say, is I wouldn't have believed any of that if hadn't have experienced it.
I will say, that I have never had any problems with the Native Americans in Billings and never felt threatened by any of them. I would have gone anywhere on the South Side of Billings at any time of day up until not too many years ago, now since drugs, blacks, and gangs(?) , I definitely won't go there, day or night. --unarmed that is!
Never in my life did I think it would come to this.
Just venting,
Ken
Why in fugg would anybody stay there to run a business like that? Later on when they get looted and the shop is burned to the ground there’ll be the inevitable interview with the shop owner expressing his grief and surprise that it happened.
Reminds me of the people that live in flood plains then cry when their place gets inundated.
Let's see,
He had owned the business for quite awhile.
The neighborhood slowly turned sour, and it lost value.
So, he was making good money, as pharmacists usually do,
But if he sold it, he couldn't get squat.
So. Kinda stuck there. Or start over, [bleep] deep in debt as an older dude.
Excatly why many people stick in declining neighborhoods.
