Boarded Up

I guess it was just a matter of time before I started dipping back into Detroit for pictures. I've been nibbling on the corners, making a few short treks through certain areas. And I can definitely report now that the city has changed. The wreckage has largely been cleared and while 'clean up' is not appropriate, cover-up might. Those smashed windows and dangling door frames are now shielded by sheets of plywood. The grime is gone. Many homes are gone, ripped down, replaced by fields of grass. Or better yet, weeds.

I don't know how the city survives.

It looks better, but that means the photo ops are not as good for me. I'd love to see the city bounce back and become respectable again.

Last week I went to visit one area, was stopped in the road (no traffic behind me) and a pick-up truck with two men slowly pulled up next to me. The passenger shot me the evil eye, and they hung back near me while the light was red. It changed, and they moved, a mere crawl. The passenger throw some paper out of the window and shot me another look. I was in the right lane and as we passed under the light, I took a turn and left the area.

I wonder, if I lived in that area, how I would like strangers coming and gawking at my hood. Since Detroit is largely populated by blacks, my presence as a honky stands out loud and clear. There are whites in Detroit and I think they live in relative peace, but then they don't have a camera up to their eye, taking in the scenery.

For excitement, there was a massive fire in Highland Park. I was miles away and saw pillowing black smoke pumping up into the air. It seemed like forever getting there, with all the stop lights, which I think are timed to the 'annoying' setting. Drive a few blocks. Stop. Wait. Start. Stop. Wait. Running reds in abandoned areas (and often in not so abandoned areas) is pretty common in the city. I guess the police will often look the other way as they have more important matters to attended to.

The fire was huge and lasted hours. I learned later a man died, jumping from the smoke. And it was not exactly an accidental fire. Police report that one of the non-official residents (squatters) had tossed some sort of fire bomb after a dispute.

Then later a major auto accident on the street. I heard the car wrap around a telephone pole. The front end was demolished and it looked like the driver 'should' have died, but the air bag saved him and he was walking around. The debris fanned out across the pavement. I did not take any shots of it because traffic was snarled and I just didn't see anything I wanted to capture.

I had a good outing yesterday but the pickings were slim and I don't expect that it will be 'business as usual' for me in Detroit.