Booker T. Washington Playground

There's a playground behind the middle school that's across the street from my apartment building. If I walk home down 107th or 108th I pass by on either side. It has space for baseball on the west end, a soccer field in the middle, and a couple of basketball half courts on the east side. If I have to go over to Broadway, I try to walk that way to watch the games, because there is always something going on.

In the summer, when I first got here, it was baseball. There is nothing quite as endearing as watching little, little kids play baseball. Trying to swing and catch and run and throw.

In the fall there was more soccer and basketball. Which just made me want to play like crazy. But that happens every fall. Years of conditioning from playing AYSO every fall for twelve years. Fall temperatures and that fall smell in the late afternoon ALWAYS make me want to play soccer.

In the winter, after fresh snow you'd see tracks and snow angels.

In the winter when the snow was melted, more soccer. Sometimes basketball.

Now in the spring, you're seeing everything. Everyone is so tired of being cooped up inside, that they fight for every inch of grass they can get. They play lacrosse, soccer, baseball, basketball, football... all at the same time, on the same field.

I can't believe someone doesn't need stitches every 10 minutes.

I love my neighborhood.

Sounds of Spring

The ghetto blasters are back.

The ghetto blasters, the street corner dance parties and the car radios with the sub woofers that shakes my building.

Apparently they all went into hybernation over the winter... that or I just kept my window closed and I couldn't hear them. But now it's warm, the windows are open and my neighborhood is out on their front steps in full force.

... which is probably why I can smell the guy down stair smoking pot.