my funny town

I serve this town called Scotts Valley. Unfortunately I don't live in the town because it's too expensive. I live in a small town down the road from it. But I feel a wierd sort of "calling" to be part of the town. It could be that I've just been part of it for so long and gotten to know so many families that I can't help but be part of it, but then there's this part of me that loves the town. I know that's kind of wierd, and it's hard to explain...it's just how it is.

Anyways. Over a year ago I started hanging out with a couple of Latino kids. They live in this particular apartment complex. As I started meeting other poor minorities in the community I noticed that they all lived in the same place. Unfortunately I rarely run into those kids anymore.

I was talking to a kid from the skatepark the other day that is a mexican kid. I asked if he lived in this same apartment complex. He does. Then I asked if he knows how I knew that he lives there. He guessed it..."because I'm mexican?" EXACTLY!! We had a good laugh about it. But now I'm trying to figure out if this is some sort of injustice (like segregation through low income housing measures) or if it's good that they can afford housing around this area.

This town is a place with lots of hurt. Parents who have no time for their kids or didn't even want their kids in the first place so don't know what to do with them, along with the fact that it's an affluent area so everyone buys into the magazine culture...girls - I should try to achieve this impossible image... boys - so...why is it wrong to objectify women?

To top it off, there's a whole section of the community that's tucked away in a little corner and forgotten about. Did I mention that they conveniently located this apartment complex right next to the police station?