Only In The Hood

Well it's about that time that we revisit the hood again. Nothing has changed in the hood. But I just have some more things that you see "Only In The Hood" that I wanted to share with you. I'll once again be your ghetto tour guide. So sit back relax and enjoy the ride as we cruise through the hood. Press play and listen to the theme song as we take this ride.

(DJ Khaled I'm So Hood Remix)

Car Club Meetings

Now I have never been in a car club nor to a car club meeting. But if you ride through the hood you are liable to see at least 10-20 of the same type of cars in a grocery store parking lot. Anything from Cadillacs, Cutlass', Intrepids, Grand Prixs, or Impalas. Don't be mistaken thinking this is a make shift car dealership. This is in fact a car club meeting. Again I have never been to one of these meeting so I have no clue what is discussed or what the purpose of the meetings are. Perhaps it's just to sit around and enjoy looking at the same car and showing off improvements you've made since the last meeting. Or perhaps they stand around while someone reads the car owner's manual aloud to the group. LoL.

Dr. MLK Jr. Blvd

I know Chris Rock mentioned this in one if his bits back in the day but he was on point with his observation. As much as Martin Luther King Jr. did for equal rights and equality for the black race why is it that MLK Blvd is only in the hood? I've personally never seen an MLK Blvd. in the suburbs.

Currency Exchanges

Although Currency Exchanges are every where, there are an abundant number of them in the hood. For hood patrons they're more like one stop shops. You can get it all done at the Currency Exchange. Where else can you cash your check, get your city sticker, pick up/sending money via Western Union, pay bills, get a bus pass, a prepaid cell phone/minutes, stamps, and even a roll of quarters? Although it's cheaper to keep your money in a bank, the convenience of having all these services in one place is more appealing to those in the Hood. I've been to Currency Exchanges at all times of the day and night and I've never seen one in the hood that was not packed. **Warning** Do not attempt to go to a Currency Exchange on the 1st or 15th of the month. This is check day and you will be in a line that's probably out the store and around the block.

Funeral Homes

Yes Every town has funeral homes, but in the hood there seems to be one in every 10 block radius. Unfortunately, the death rate in the hood is higher than other areas; therefore, funeral homes are big business. If you're from Chicago I'm pretty sure you know this famous Funeral Home Gatling's. Also, I'm sure you've attended at least one funeral here as well.

High Gas Prices

This is one phenomenon I never quite understood. How is it that in the poorest neighborhoods that the prices of gas are the highest. I can literally leave from where I live in the suburbs and drive to the hood and see about a $0.50 Cent difference in price per gallon. I guess this is partially why public transportation is the preferred method of travel in the hood.

Reserved Parking Spaces

In climates like Chicago that produce snow local residents are sometimes reduced to having to shovel their cars out from under the snow fall. Well after putting in all that hard work to shovel your parking spot you want to make sure someone doesn't benefit from your hard work and just take your spot. In the hood they've come up with a full proof security system to make sure that once they pull off their parking spot is safe and secure until they return. What is it? Yep just as the picture depicts it's a chair!! Now you may be thinking that the chair transforms into a guard dog or something that will keep others from taking the space. But nope that's not it. It is a simple chair. For some reason this is a practice that works every time. I don't know if it's just the respect for our neighbors on the block or if people refuse to be that down and dirty that they'll let someone sit out in below zero weather shoveling snow only to have their spot taken. Not to mention if someone did that it would be an ass whoopin waiting to happen. LoL. Also in substitute of a chair you may see anything from milk crates, tables, lawn chairs, sofas, and a mop bucket.

Well that concludes this tour and our journey through the hood. Come back again soon as we will be adding new attractions to the tour.

--C-Recks--