Crime

After a year in Venice, I forgot about crime. Or should I say, physical crime. Its no secret that the Italians are good at corruption and tax evasion but since there really wasnt a lick of crime in Venice, I sorta erased that 'inner fear' from my system.


It wasnt until today that I realized I wasnt in Kansas anymore, Toto! Last I heard, Phoenix was the 5th largest city in the country and the population is well over 2 million compared to my little 2 1/2 mile long island with less than 70,000 residents. So, one would expect some crime I guess. But watching the news for the first time and seeing a variety of murder, rape, robbery, etc. made it all real. Guns and drugs are prevalent again.


And when I got in the car for the much anticipated hair cut, I remembered that we arent really supposed to look at other people in cars because 'you never know'. That brought back memories of road rage incidents I have read about or seen. And before I knew it, I was a bit nervous and wanting. Nervous because I have to be on guard now and wanting because I can no longer walk around by myself after dark (or anytime for that matter) without fear. I am not a person who lives in fear and lets it rule decisions, but I now understand out of necessity how it does affect a person.



I suppose thats the price one pays for living in a large city, but it has certainly made me realize how special it was to be in a place lacking of these things. I think I had a taste of what it must have been like 100 years ago in the US. And short of moving to the cornfields of Iowa, I probably wont experience that lifestyle again soon. Venice calls me.....