...in Paradise (part 2)

I do not know if I've seen enough crime in my life to be paranoid. But i sure do feel this now where i live. You see, i live in downtown Honolulu. I found a brand new bldg. 5-6 blocks where i work... so i grabbed it. Aside from it being totally new and very clean, it was on the 22nd floor. The view of the city was awesome and i figured the 22th floor was safe enough. + the building is pretty secured. 24 hour security at the gate, camera surveillance all over the grounds. I can pretty much say, it is safe. But what do i know. LOL. My plan not to take my car to work is now gone. I was told by my co-workers that i shouldn't be walking down those streets after daylight because it is not safe... at all. My first day at the apt was an example. I looked down the balcony because i heard police sirens. What i saw looking down across the street was a handcuffed man on the sidewalk. You know... those things you watch on "Cops". Well.......... right across my bldg. is a public park. And you know anywhere public property, are bums. Shop doors would be teeming with homeless people right after closing and i don't think walking by those shops at night would be a good idea.

First time in a downtown area, actually. I usually lived far away from the downtown area as much as possible. I avoid the "ghettos" district by 10-15 miles so i would feel safer. Living alone is no joke. Having nobody to literally "protect" me made me choose to live in more expensive areas. I don't mind the extra costs, but i'd rather sleep peacefully than have pretty clothes. (Hehe. as if i buy pretty clothes. :P ) I can hear sirens (police or ambulance or fire truck) every hour. if not, twice in an hour or more. Even if i'm at the 22nd floor, i can still hear em. All i know is... i should be extra careful around here. Funny thing too, when i picked up my car from the pier last week, the guy asked me if i had alarms on my car. I said, no... it's a 94 Acura Integra... nobody would want an old car. He said.... i better install one as integras and civics are HOT. they rip off the engines and leave the body alone. I thought Los Angeles was scary enough. Maybe LA is so huge that crimes are so wide in between. Closest to crime i seen there were helicopters hovering around... a car chase. Hehe. Well... anywhere is dangerous i guess. No matter where i am.

I am not saying that I have not lived nor been into the more dangerous parts of Manila in the past that I am saying this. I grew up in Malate and i've gone home at 3am in the morning taking public transpo at 16 (and drunk) and i feared for my life each time. I remember having my school cutter or a pen ready in my hand each time i get off Vito Cruz and Taft Ave. anticipating some kind of untoward incidents somehow. I knew I couldn't be safe enough in any place around Metro Manila. Heck... anywhere in the Philippines... anywhere in the world now.

I am not saying that all those homeless people are bad people. I know most of them are just in worse situations than most of us. People having tough and hard times in life. People nowhere to go and all. I can't live in fear of them all my life. I just need to be careful and not put myself in a situation that i would be compromising my safety and well-being.