Yesterday was day 2 of not having a car.  I biked to my dentist appointment about a mile away on Peachtree Street.  Not bad at all!  In the past the only places I’ve biked in the city was to Piedmont Park or to the Virginia Highlands.  This is the first time I’ve biked on a busier road.  I do wish we had bike lanes though.

Later that morning, I walked just a few blocks south of my neighborhood to get my car at Midtown Tire (if you’re looking for a repair shop they’re good people) located on Ponce de Leon.  I know Ponce is WAAAAAY shady, but I figured I’d be okay since I’m just crossing to the other side of the street to get to the shop.  Nonetheless, I prepared for this.  I put on my darkest pair of sunglasses so I wouldn’t have to make eye contact with the crazies.  I put on long pants so I wouldn’t be mistaken for a hooker and a plain black shirt to not call attention to myself.  I put on athletic shoes just in case I had to make a run for it.  I even had my fanny pack on, although a stylish one, so that my wallet wouldn’t get snatched.

So I’m walking down Charles Allen in my nice little neighborhood and the absolute SPLIT SECOND I get on to the intersection of Charles Allen and Ponce I see this crackhead coming toward me.  He mumbles something and I tell him I don’t have any cash on me.  He mumbles something again and I notice he already has cash in his hand.  Then he says it again, even louder… “Suck my —- for 5 dollars???”.  I HAVE NEVER BEEN SO INSULTED IN MY WHOLE LIFE!!!!  Probably against my better judgement I started cursing him out on the street, which in turn probably made ME look like I belonged on Ponce.  “Are you f#(*$%&#(*&$% crazy???  I’m not a prostitute you nasty bum!!! #)($*#)$*)#*$!!!!”

I made it across the street in one piece and HAPPILY drove my car back home.  I’m never doing that ever again.  I will walk everywhere in Midtown, but I’m not touching Ponce de Leon Ave!!!  It’s crazy how just one block up you’re in a really nice neighborhood, but you get to Ponce and it’s like day and night.

Sorry… no pictures for this post… I was too busy watching out for my own safety!!!!!