gun shots in the night, er, day...well, both

It threw me off, all of this violence during Mardi Gras. I was over on St. Charles near Melpomene when the gun shots broke out that Friday night and the ensuing riot in the Office Depot parking lot that the patrolman on foot and on horse had to break up. Never heard gun shots, but seeing people flock across St. Charles to see what the fuss about said enough. We thought it was just a fight until the headlines the next day confirmed our worst suspicions. Who brings a gun to the parades anyway? It's a fun time to be had by all. And more than likely the shots were fired over something silly and the gun-toter was in a rage. Forget the innocent bystanders around you.

Not that the area is virginal to violence. Summer of 2006 someone was shot down outside the daquiri shop. And then there was the shooting a couple years back in the same vicinity during the parades. Of course, what area of New Orleans has not seen it's share?

Now it's coming back into my 'hood, where I've seen it before, and it always comes in bulk. It's like the same thing, though. Wednesday a driver is shot at the corner of Annunciation and St. Mary, driving into a nearby building. Dejavu? October 2006 a guy was gunned down on Annunciation and Washington and he proceed to lose control of the vehicle as it crashed into the vacant laundromat on the street corner. If Wednesday's shooting wasn't enough, later there was a report of a drive by at Annunciation and Washington. Luckily no one was hurt, but I immediately received worried messages from both of my roommates, one of them contemplating "Maybe I don't want to renew my lease here."

When my mom and sister were visiting in August those two notorious brothers were shot down in the same day. Watching the news with my mom, I was surprised to hear of the second shooting. Seeing the footage, I was even more surprised. I turned to my mom and said "Wow, we could walk out on the corner and probably see the cop lights."

Countless other shootings in my near vicinity over the last year in the half I've lived here (here being this particular residence). I never questioned my safety - I'm not a target. But as a roommate pointed out "We drive by that intersection every day." Am I naive? Aside from the one act of arson down the street never reported in July, the renegade crack head ringing my doorbell at 1 AM, and my roommate's car being gotten into (as she didn't lock it), there have been few other instances of danger. However, it is about being in the wrong place at the wrong time. I love my house, couldn't ask for a better landlord, and I, believe it or not, love my neighborhood. I can't imagine moving to another location.

What's a girl to do?