Neighborhood Watch "Al"
East Boston is about 75% Latino, but is a traditionally Italian neighborhood. There are lots of people who didn't leave during the "white flight" of the 70s and 80s, who are still there-- most of them are pretty old.
.
The first time I walked to our new place after work from the T, there was an old guy with very few teeth and a threadbare white t-shirt sitting on our stoop. I stopped and introduced myself, and told him that we'd just bought the building.
.
He said his name was 'Al.' We stood and chatted for a little while. We discussed housing prices, the neighborhood, where he lives (around the corner), and his method of moving from corner to corner and stoop to stoop depending on where the good shade is. He said that he liked our corner because there's the laundromat across the street-- so there's a lot going on.
.
Then he paused, looked down the street, pointed at a spray-paint covered sign and said, "See that sign? That says 'neighborhood watch.' That's my job."
.
I told him to keep up the good work.
.
The next day, he was hanging out there and introduced me to 'Pat,' another old man who likes to hang out on the corner, but he usually chooses a different corner than 'Al.' He was just stopping by to say 'hello.'
.
This place is insane.