The Blog I Really Didn't Want to Write!

PROBLEMS OF THE URBAN AREA - GROWN HALE AND HARDY IN SMALL TOWNS TOO

SOCIAL PROBLEMS, BOOZE, DRUGS AND VANDALISM? THESE ARE OUR CONSTITUENTS TOO!

     I AM ASHAMED OF MYSELF. I TRULY AM. I HAVE LABORED OVER THIS COLUMN FOR MORE THAN A YEAR NOW. IN SOME WAYS, I HAVE BECOME AS HYPOCRITICAL AS THOSE I CRITIQUE REGULARLY, FOR CLAIMING TO TELL THE TRUTH, BUT NOT REALLY!  I FELT OBLIGED TO SANITIZE THIS VIEW OF OUR TOWN. ADMITTEDLY, EVEN AS A LOCAL NEWS EDITOR, THERE WERE LOTS OF STORIES THAT WEREN'T FIT TO PRINT. OR AT LEAST, I DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO PITCH THEM TO THE PUBLISHER. I NEVER DID FIGURE IT OUT, BECAUSE ADVERTISERS DIDN'T WANT TO BE IN A PAPER FULL OF DOOM AND GLOOM. SO WE JUST WHITEWASHED WHAT LOOKED UGLY, AND LET THE PROBLEMS SORT THEIR WAY DOWN INTO AND THROUGH THE QUAGMIRE, AS ALL PROBLEMS DO EVENTUALLY. A SOCIETAL FILTERING SO TO SPEAK. IT DOESN'T WORK VERY WELL, AS A MATTER OF GENERAL INTEREST.

     IT IS DETRIMENTAL TO THE IMAGE WE LIKE TO PROMOTE, AND CONTRARY TO THE COUNTRY JOY WE TRY TO EXUDE, SOMETIMES LIKE ROCKWELIAN CHARACTERS, PULLED LOOSELY FROM ILLUSTRATIONS, OF THE WAY LIFE SHOULD BE AT HOME SWEET HOME. BAD STUFF BE DAMNED. FORGET ABOUT IT. SWEEP IT UNDER THE CARPET. I FOUND MYSELF STARING AT THE MIRROR IMAGE OF COWARDICE, BECAUSE THIS STORY WOULD HURT FEELINGS, AND POINT OUT UGLINESS THAT MOST OF US KNOW ABOUT, BUT WOULD STILL RATHER DRIVE QUICKLY PAST; OR TURN AWAY FROM, WHEN IT HAPPENS CLOSE BY. BUT IT IS WHAT IT IS, AND THERE IS NO DENYING, THAT TO SANITIZE IT IN PERPETUITY, WOULD BE TO IGNORE THE VERY REAL POSSIBILITY, THAT WITH FOCUS AND FORTITUDE, WE JUST MIGHT BE ABLE TO REDUCE WHAT WE REALLY DON'T LIKE ABOUT LIVING HERE. WATCHING MISFORTUNE TAKE ITS TOLL ON OUR POPULATION.     

     WE WATCHED AS A CHAP WALKED OVER TO THE NICELY APPOINTED PLANTER, NEAR THE FRONT OF OUR MUSKOKA ROAD STORE, LOOKED AROUND TO SEE WHO WAS WATCHING, AND THEN PULLED OUT A SUBSTANTIAL CLUMP OF FLOWERS. THEN HE WANDERED AWAY, CLUTCHING THE ILL-GOTTEN BOQUET, SMILING TO HIMSELF, AND UNDOUBTEDLY THINKING, HIS LADY FRIEND WOULD BE DELIGHTED BY THE GESTURE. HE KNEW WE WERE WATCHING. WE KNEW THAT TO CONFRONT HIM WOULD GET UGLY, BECAUSE THERE WAS BOOZE INFLUENCING HIS BEHAVIOR. WE DIDN'T NEED TO BRING OFFICERS FROM MORE IMPORTANT INVESTIGATIONS, JUST TO BUST A GUY FOR UPROOTING SOME PLANTS. 

     WE WERE SITTING IN THE VAN, ONE NIGHT RECENTLY, WAITING FOR ANDREW TO LOCK-UP THE STORE, WHEN A YOUNG MAN CAME SPEEDING ALONG THE SIDEWALK ON HIS BIKE, NEARLY RUNNING OVER AN ELDERLY LADY COMING THE OPPOSITE WAY, AND THEN RUNNING INTO THE BANK. HE HAD LEFT HIS BIKE LAYING ACROSS THE SIDEWALK, SO THAT EVERYONE COMING ALONG WOULD HAVE TO STEP OVER THE FRAME. HE CAME OUT WITH A WAD OF MONEY, FOLDED IT INTO HIS PANT'S POCKET, WENT ONTO THE VACANT LOT BESIDE OUR STORE, TURNED TO FACE THE FENCE…….AND THAT'S WHEN I ASKED SUZANNE TO CLOSE HER EYES, BECAUSE THAT IS A FAMILIAR MANLY POSE. RIGHT THERE IN THE OPEN, STILL SUNNY OUT, WITH LOTS OF PEOPLE WALKING UP AND DOWN THE MAIN STREET SIDEWALKS. I WATCHED THE MAN ADJUST HIMSELF APPROPRIATELY AFTER THE DEED, AND THEN RIDE OFF NORTH UP MUSKOKA ROAD. IF AN OFFICER HAD BEEN AROUND AT THE TIME, I MIGHT HAVE OFFERED THIS INFORMATION, NOT THAT ANYTHING COULD BE DONE AFTER THE FACT. WHEN WE GOT TWO BLOCKS UP THE STREET, THE SAME MAN WENT TO ANOTHER BLOKE STANDING, THEN, AT THE PAY TELEPHONE BY THE CONVENIENCE STORE. THE MONEY CAME OUT OF THE POCKET, WAS HANDED OVER TO THE SECOND GUY'S OUTSTRETCHED HAND, AND A PACKET WAS RETURNED AT JUST ABOUT THE SAME TIME. ALSO INTO THE POCKET. MAYBE THEY WERE ILLEGAL BUTTER TARTS. PRETTY SURE IT WAS A MAIN STREET, HIGH VISIBILITY DRUG DEAL.

     I WOULD LIST SOME OF THE OTHER PLACES WHERE PUBLIC URINATION AND OTHER STUFF OCCUR, ON A REGULAR BASIS, BUT IT WOULD UPSET THE PROPERTY OWNERS AND BUSINESS OPERATORS, TO KNOW THAT THEIR DOORSTEPS HAD BEEN USED FOR MAKESHIFT BUT CONVENIENT WASHROOMS. WE'RE IN THAT NUMBER BY THE WAY. ANDREW ONCE NOTICED SOMEONE WALKING DOWN OUR SIDE ALLEY, WHICH IS AN EMERGENCY EXIST, AND FOUND A MAN SQUATTING TO EVACUATE HIS BOWEL. WE HAD TO USE A SHOVEL THAT DAY. I ONCE WITNESSED A DRUNKARD, PEEING ON A DONATION PILE IN FRONT OF THE SALVATION ARMY THRIFT SHOP. NUMEROUS TIMES! DIFFERENT FOLKS!

     THE OTHER NIGHT, WE WERE DRIVING HOME QUITE LATE, AFTER A CONCERT ANDREW WAS HELPING, AS PART OF THE TECHNICAL CREW, AND ROB POINTED OUT SOMEONE LEANING AGAINST A LAMP-POST UP THE STREET, WHILE ANOTHER FIGURE LOOKED TO BE HOLDING HIM FROM THE SIDE. IT WAS QUITE AN IMAGE, IN THE LAMPLIGHT, ON THIS SLIGHTLY FOGGY NIGHT. LIKE A MURDER MYSTERY, OR SOMETHING CHARLES DICKENS MIGHT HAVE WRITTEN ABOUT, IN OLD LONDON TOWN. BY TIME WE GOT TO THEM, WONDERING IF THERE HAD BEEN A SERIOUS INJURY, THE MAN DOUBLED OVER, AND VOMITED IN OUR GENERAL DIRECTION. WE WATCH THINGS LIKE THIS OFTEN, IN THE GRAVENHURST, A LOT OF OTHER FOLKS MISS, ON THEIR DAILY ROUNDS. WE HAVE A LOT OF SOCIAL PROBLEMS OUT THERE, AND ABUSES OF DRUGS AND ALCOHOL ARE AS COMMON, AS ARE DRUG DEALS CLEARLY IN THE OPEN.

     OUR SHOP HAS BEEN TAGGED TWICE IN THE PAST FEW MONTHS, THE LATEST ONE TAKING AN HOUR TO REMOVE FROM A SIDE WINDOW. THE PAINTED ABSTRACT ON A SIDE SHED, ON THE SAME PROPERTY, WILL TAKE A LOT MORE WORK TO CLEAN AWAY, AND EVEN THEN, IT'S LIKELY TO RETURN AS SOON AS IT IS CLEAN AGAIN. YOU MAY HAVE READ ABOUT A LOCAL RESTAURANT'S PATIO CHAIR WINDING UP ON THE TOP OF THE OPERA HOUSE VERANDAH. STUFF LIKE THIS HAPPENS A LOT MORE THAN MOST THINK. THIS IS THE PROBLEM OF PERCEPTION. BY THE TIME MOST PEOPLE IN THIS TOWN START MOVING AROUND, BY NINE OR TEN IN THE MORNING, THE BROKEN GLASS HAS BEEN SWEPT UP, THE BEER BOTTLES PUT INTO RECYCLING BINS, GARBAGE PAILS RIGHTED, LAWN CHAIR GATHERED UP BY THEIR OWNERS, AND FOUND FLOWERS WITH THEIR ROOTS INTACT, ARE RE-PLANTED UNTIL THE NEXT TIME A GOOF BALL WISHES TO SWIPE SOME FOR HIS SWEETIE.

     YOU WON'T READ TOO MUCH ABOUT THIS KIND OF ACTIVITY, EXCEPT IN THE OCCASIONAL NEWS BRIEF. IT CERTAINLY WON'T BE A FEATURE STORY WITH ANY SUBSTANCE. IF I HAD A CAMERA AND A DEATH WISH, I'D GO OUT AND CAPTURE THIS ACTIVITY ON FILM….JUST LIKE THE GULL LAKE PARK SCRIBBLER, WRITING TOMES ONTO PICNIC BENCH TOPS. I USED TO DO THIS FOR THE HERALD-GAZETTE ALL THE TIME, AND WE DIDN'T FEAR RUNNING THEM, BUT MOSTLY JUST THE SILHOUETTES OF GROUPS HEADING DOWN THE STREET, CAUSING HAVOC, AND VANDALIZING WHAT THEY FELT DESERVED UPROOTING OR SMASHING. THE TOWN COUNCIL, REPRESENTS THESE CONSTITUENTS AS WELL. THAT'S RIGHT. AND MOST OF THE OFFENDER I HAVE WITNESSED, DOING THEIR DIRTY DEEDS, ARE ALSO OF VOTING AGE. WE ALWAYS THINK THAT THE PERPETRATORS OF THESE KIND OF CRIMES ARE TEENAGERS, WHEN FROM WHAT MY OWN SURVEILLANCE, OVER MANY YEARS, REVEALS AS MUCH OLDER FOLKS, AND MANY OF THEM ARE TANKED AT THE TIME OF THE CRIME.

     TAKE FOR EXAMPLE THE TIME TWO DRUNKEN ARSES SMASHED OUT OUR STORE-FRONT WINDOW, AND ANOTHER FURTHER DOWN THE STREET. THE LADS HAD BEEN HAVING A DRINKING PARTY, AND DECIDED TO HAVE A PIZZA, AS AN EXTRA TOPPING TO THE NIGHT'S FRIVOLITY. I SUPPOSE THEY GOT INTO A LITTLE SPAT ABOUT WHO WAS GOING TO PAY, WHEN A PHYSICAL ENCOUNTER TOOK PLACE, AND THEY FELL INTO THE WINDOW-SIDE, WITH THE TWO BIKES IN THEIR POSSESSION, AND NEARLY HAD THEIR HEADS CUT OFF BY THE FALLING GLASS. THAT WAS IN OUR SECOND YEAR. IN OUR THIRD YEAR WE HAD A BREAK-IN, WITH MANY THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS WORTH OF INVENTORY STOLEN, BUT THE GOOD NEWS……WE GOT HIM. WE HAD THE CHANCE TO WATCH THIS HAPPY, GRINNING CHAP, ON STORE VIDEO, WALKING INTO A PAWN SHOP IN SOUTHERN ONTARIO……WITH OUR GUITARS IN HIS HANDS. BUSTED! IT WAS A HOME GROWN THEFT BY THE WAY. NOT AN OUTSIDER, LIKE YOU OFTEN HERE, AS AN EXCUSE FOR BREAK-INS WE DON'T WANT TO ADMIT, WERE THE RESULT OF OUR OWN BAD APPLES. IT'S NICE WHEN THERE'S A HAPPY ENDING FOR THE VICTIMS. IT'S PRETTY RARE THESE DAYS, AS THE CRIMINALS GET MORE SOPHISTICATED, AND THEIR METHODOLOGY LESS TELEVISED, UNLIKE OUR BREAK-IN ARTIST FRIEND……WHO REALLY WASN'T MUCH OF AN ARTIST AT ALL.

     THIS ISN'T AN ATTEMPT TO DRAG THE NAME OF OUR GOOD TOWN THROUGH THE MUD. THE PROBLEMS HOWEVER, ARE SUBSTANTIAL, AND I'M SURE THE STATISTICS FROM THE ONTARIO PROVINCIAL POLICE WOULD BE VERY ENLIGHTENING. WE DON'T LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS KIND OF BEHAVIOR, AND THAT'S PART OF THE BIGGER PROBLEM. WE'VE WATCHED MANY DRUG DEALS GOING DOWN ON THE MAIN STREET, IN THE PAST EIGHT YEARS, THAT THE BOYS' SHOP HAS BEEN OPEN. IT IS PROFOUNDLY DIFFICULT TO HAVE ENOUGH PROOF, OF A CRIMINAL ACT IN THESE CASES, TO OFFER THE POLICE ANY MORE THAN TIDBITS, AND NOT MUCH MORE. WE MIGHT WITNESS THESE ACTS, BUT UNLESS WE HAD BEEN IN THAT SCRUM OURSELVES, THE EVIDENCE IS TOO THIN TO BOTHER POLICE ABOUT.

     WE HAVE VAROUS INDIVIDUALS BEGGING FOR MONEY ALONG OUR MAIN STREET, BUT THE BYLAW DEPARTMENT DOESN'T SEEM TOO INTERESTED. THE REALITY IS, THEY ARE NOT USING THE MONEY TO BUY FOOD. THEY ARE USING IT FOR EVERYTHING ELSE, BUT MOSTLY BOOZE. THEY'LL CLAIM THEY WANT THE COINS TO BUY A SANDWICH, BUT THEN YOU WILL WATCH THEM AMBLE TOWARD THE "IN AND OUT" STORES AS THEY CALL THEM, TO GET EITHER BEER OR LIQUOR. I'M SORRY TO BREAK THE NEWS TO YOU, THAT THEY'RE NOT TAKING YOUR DONATION TO THE LOCAL DINER FOR SOME GRUB. WE WOULD GIVE THEM MONEY FOR FOOD, BUT I'M AFRAID, LIKE THE CITY PANHANDLERS, MOST IS GOING OTHERWISE TO GET HIGH.

     IT DOESN'T TAKE TOO LONG, WORKING ON THE MAIN STREET OF TOWN, TO SEE THE DESPAIR OF THE LESS FORTUNATE, WHO HAVE SERIOUS MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS THAT ARE NOT BEING ADEQUATELY ADDRESSED. MOST OF OUR TOWN REPRESENTATIVES DO NOT SEE THE TOWN THE WAY WE DO……AND PART OF THAT COMES FROM THE FACT, I HAVE TO PICK UP OUR BOYS, AT LOCAL ENTERTAINMENT VENUES, AND OUR SHOP, LATE IN THE EVENING, AND OFTEN LATER THAN THIS. YOU SEE SOME PRETTY BAD STUFF OUT THERE, INCLUDING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE THAT WOULD TURN YOUR STOMACH. I GUESS ALL THAT I'M REALLY NOTING HERE, IS THAT WE'RE LIKE A LOT OF OTHER TOWNS IN NORTH AMERICA. LESS CRIME THAN A CITY NEIGHBORHOOD, LESS DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSES THAT SOME PLACES, BUT TOO MUCH NONE THE LESS, TO BE CONSIDERED A LITTLE PROBLEM. THERE IS NOTHING BEING DONE TO SOLVE THESE SOCIAL PROBLEMS THAT SEEM TO BE ESCALATING, BUT ONLY THE POLICE WILL KNOW THIS FOR SURE. THE DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSE IS A PRETTY CLEAR SIGN WE'VE GOT HEALTH ISSUES AS A COMMUNITY…..THAT AS FAR AS I CAN DETERMINE, IS RUNNING UNABATED, EXCEPT FOR WHAT THE POLICE CAN MANAGE ON THEIR OWN. THEY NEED BROADER HELP THAN BEING LOCKED UP FOR THE NIGHT, EACH TIME THEY'RE ARRESTED. THE DESPAIR OF POVERTY, ESPECIALLY WITH YOUTH, IS PARTICULARLY NOTICEABLE, AND WHEN THERE APPEARS TO BE NO HOPE FOR THESE LOST SOULS, THEN CRIME DOESN'T SEEM THAT BIG A DEAL. THEFT AND DRUG ACTIVITY BECOMES A MEANS TO AN END.

     WE LIKE TO LOOK PRETTY IN THIS TOWN. WE LIKE TO THINK WE'RE BETTER THAN OTHER TOWNS, AND MORE DURABLE TO WEATHER ALL KINDS OF STORMS……ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL. BUT THE TRUTH IS, AND IT'S CERTAINLY NOT JUST THE RESPONSIBILITY OF TOWN COUNCIL, THE VISIBLE DEGENERATION OF THESE CITIZENS IS FRIGHTENING; BECAUSE MOST OF US HAVEN'T GOT A CLUE WHAT TO DO TO STOP THE DECLINE. IF EVER THERE WAS AN ENVISIONING SESSION THAT WAS ABSOLUTELY REQUIRED, IT WOULD BE TO LOOK AT THE CRIME AND INVESTIGATION STATISTICS FROM THE OPP, AND TO TALK TO SOCIAL WORKERS ABOUT WHAT WE CAN DO TO HELP OUR FELLOW CONSTITUENTS, REGAIN CONTROL OF THEIR LIVES. AS FOR PROGRAMS TO HELP THESE CITIZENS……..I THINK WE COULD DO BETTER. A LOT BETTER.

     WHEN YOU DRIVE UP MUSKOKA ROAD, AT ONE IN THE MORNING, AND SEE A YOUNG MAN URINATING ON ONE OF THESE BEAUTIFUL LITTLE PLANTERS, OR AGAINST A STOREFRONT WALL, OR FRONT ENTRANCE, THE AVERAGE CITIZEN WOULD LIKE TO STOP, YELL, AND CHASTISE THE PERPETRATOR. THE REALITY TODAY, IS THAT IT MIGHT END WITH GUN SHOTS. IN ALL TOWNS, ALL CITIES. YOU HAVE TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT DOING GOOD DEEDS, WHEN THOSE COMMITTING THE OFFENSE, HAVE NOTHING TO LOSE, IN THEIR OPINION; A LONG JAIL SENTENCE…..THAT AT THE VERY LEAST, PROVIDES SHELTER AND THREE SQUARES A DAY. OF COURSE IT'S PATHETIC AND UNFATHOMABLE. BUT THAT'S THE CUTTING EDGE OF THE REALITY WE DON'T WANT TO ADMIT EXISTS OUT THERE. WHEN WE TURN OUT THE LIGHTS IN OUR HOMES, IN THE EVENING, WE ASSUME THERE'S A CALM PREVAILING OVER OUR HOMETOWN. THERE IS A FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY. WE ARE CLOSE NEIGHBORS TO SOCIAL PROBLEMS YOU WOULD CRINGE TO KNOW ABOUT. I'VE GIVEN YOU THE SANITIZED VERSION. THERE'S MORE. I JUST CAN'T WRITE ABOUT IT!

     AS POTENTIAL CANDIDATES BEGIN STEPPING FORWARD, WITH THE MUNICIPAL ELECTION DRAWING CLOSER, I WOULD LIKE TO IMPOSE UPON THEM THIS PROBLEM……THAT IS VERY NEAR AND DEAR TO ALL OF US, BECAUSE IT IS NOT GOING TO DIMINISH WITHOUT INTERVENTION. THESE LOST SOULS ARE CONSTITUENTS, AND THEY ARE SUFFERING. WE NEED TO FIND COUNCILLORS WHO ARE WILLING TO ADMIT AND VISIT THE DARK SIDE, WHERE THERE ARE NO CEREMONIAL RIBBON CUTTINGS, EVER,…..NO PUBLICITY PHOTO OPS, EVER, AND NO HANDSHAKES OF WELCOME IN THIS UNFORTUNATE CLIME OF OUR HOMETOWN…….WHERE APPARENTLY, ONLY SHADOWS KNOW!

    MOST OF US REALISTS KNOW IT'S OUT THERE, AND OUR SONS AND DAUGHTERS ARE AT RISK OF BECOMING ONE OF THEIR NUMBER. IT'S HOW THE DRUG CULTURE WORKS, AND DESTROYS LIVES. IT HAS HAPPENED HERE, AND ITS A CRYING SHAME HOW MANY YOUNG LIVES HAVE BEEN ADVERSELY COMPROMISED…..BECAUSE WE DROPPED OUR GUARD, AND GAVE UP ON SOLUTIONS BEFORE WE'D EVEN BEGUN THE FIGHT.

    WE'VE GOT A LOT OF WORK TO DO IN THIS TOWN, FAR BEYOND FACE DRESSING AND COMMERCIAL EXPANSION. WE HAVE URBAN PROBLEMS IN A COUNTRY TOWN.  BUT DO WE HAVE THE WILL TO ADDRESS THEM, AS MORE THAN JUST TRIVIAL ANNOYANCES, TO EVERYTHING ELSE THAT LOOKS AND ACTS TO OUR STANDARDS?  IT SHOULD BE AN ELECTION ISSUE. I PLAN TO MAKE IT ONE. A BIG ONE.

     DESPITE WHAT MY CRITICS MAY THINK, ABOUT THIS SHOCKING ADMISSION…..WELL, I'VE BEEN ACCUSED OF WORSE. I WISH THIS WAS A TALL TALE FULL OF EMBELLISHMENT. THEN I COULD CALL IT A SHORT STORY AND ENTER IT INTO A FICTION CONTEST. REALLY!

     THANK YOU FOR JOINING ME TODAY.