An unsettling evening walk...

[rayinpenn]

It was late in the day yet he had his wrap around sun glasses on. I did not recognize him at first.. squarer body and his face had hardened. At first the angry scowl on his face and the tension in body hit me as odd. Then it occurred to me it was deliberate attempt to be menacing. It didn’t work I nodded my head in a “how ya doing kinda way”. He continued toward me and came to the curb and kicked the electric box then turned back and walked away.

It all started years ago i used to see a younger thinner version of him walking about the neighborhood. I commented to a friend about always seeing him taking a constitutional. “Ray you smuck he’s doing drug deals he’s an addict” a few weeks later the mrs and I came around the corner and there he was - i saw the exchange.

Another few weeks and I was walking past the house and there was a new big home safe box out for the trash. Finally when i was on at out of town job the mrs ran into him at 11pm taking the dog for the last walk one foggy night. He was on the phone. There was repeat of that a few weeks later mid day. I called the police they chased him. His father and i had words but our discussion ended amicably.

I talked to a neighbor and the poor family has had one tragedy after another. Ill not let it affect my much needed walks..I feel bad for the dad he seemed like a regular guy.

 

[Elbata]

Hello Ray,

I see you're from PA. I watch a number of youtube videos about Kensington and drug use. It's just crazy to see what's going on there. Stay safe.

 

[Teacher Terry]

Time to move?

 

[rayinpenn]

Hello Ray,

I see you're from PA. I watch a number of youtube videos about Kensington and drug use. It's just crazy to see what's going on there. Stay safe.

Funny thing we live in a premier neighborhood. Great school district, houses on 1 acre lots, mature landscapes and hills.
I think some might even say affluent. Ive learned Drug addiction happens everywhere.. it cost a good friend his marriage of 20 years, for her it was prescriptions pills and one crash too many.
If i put my hose up tomorrow for $500k their would be 30-50 people at the open house and a bidding war.

 

[marko]

Time to move?

I'm not sure there is anywhere one can move to where there isn't a drug/opioid issue of some degree.

 

[zinger1457]

I'm not sure there is anywhere one can move to where there isn't a drug/opioid issue of some degree.

Drug issues certainly affect all levels but having a menacing drug dealer walking around the neighborhood isn't normal or common, at least not in the neighborhoods I've lived in. Good idea to get the cops involved, hopefully they'll do something about it.

 

[rayinpenn]

Drug issues certainly affect all levels but having a menacing drug dealer walking around the neighborhood isn't normal or common, at least not in the neighborhoods I've lived in. Good idea to get the cops involved, hopefully they'll do something about it.

1. In this instance he never left his property
2. Looking menacing is not a crime
3. It isn’t in me to add to their misery... lots of bad stuff going on there all of it not self imposed. (I dont want to be too specific) lets just say i am reminded how blessed I feel when I walk by.
4. I dont feel I’m in any immediate danger. I always walk with my phone. If it was the drug dealer (i hear theres an older brother) he is a convicted felon. I suspect he knows if he steps past the curb of the property the law changes.

 

[Senator]

This is sadly becoming the new normal. There are many drug participants and suppliers out there, and the numbers are increasing. There is a huge wave of people advocating decriminalization of all drug usage. Maybe then, drugs dealers go away and you just buy the 'stuff' cheap at the local vending machine.

Denver just decriminalized psilocybin mushrooms. Hawaii considered decriminalizing ecstasy, cocaine, crystal meth, and heroin. Soon heroin will be just another thing that people do when they get off work, or on a Saturday evening.

There are plenty of links out there with a simple search.

 

[marko]

There is a huge wave of people advocating decriminalization of all drug usage. Maybe then, drugs dealers go away and you just buy the 'stuff' cheap at the local vending machine.

I'm torn on this.

The end of prohibition stopped all the bootleggers and the introduction of state lotteries pretty much put the local bookie out of business. Better regulation would prevent a lot of problems

I'm also ok letting people kill themselves with drugs if that's what they want to do; when you start heroin, that's the deal you've pretty much signed up for. Who doesn't know that heroin is an eventual death sentence?

OTOH, the advent of Narcan and such means a higher, longer survival rate which puts enormous pressure on the cost of police, fire, ambulance and hospitals who have to pick up the aftermath. We all end up paying for this.

I did read once that Amsterdam had legalized drugs in an effort to better control it....I'm not sure it worked out as expected

 

[zinger1457]

2. Looking menacing is not a crime

It certainly can be if done while committing a crime and done with the intent of intimidating someone.

 

[rayinpenn]

It certainly can be if done while committing a crime and done with the intent of intimidating someone.

In this case no crime was committed.. Don’t get me wrong its an annoyance that no one needs. Sent you pm with more details

 

[Potstickers]

I'm torn on this.

I'm also ok letting people kill themselves with drugs if that's what they want to do; when you start heroin, that's the deal you've pretty much signed up for. Who doesn't know that heroin is an eventual death sentence?

...and then there's Keith Richards.

 

[Big_Hitter]

Time to move?

or get a chl

 

[Rianne]

It's one thing seeing this on the news, middle/upper middle class families faced with drug addiction. Maybe from prescription meds to start then becomes habit. Many documentaries on this. Straight A students, athletic kids, SAHM, it seems to be everywhere. When it hits your neighborhood and becomes a personal experience, that changes the situation. Doesn't everyone know of someone this has affected? I can think of 2 situations off the top of my head from friends and family members. Moving doesn't change a thing.

 

[misshathaway]

I'm not sure there is anywhere one can move to where there isn't a drug/opioid issue of some degree.

There really isn't. I live in a neighborhood where the weekly crime report usually has 0 incidents. But I've been putting tons of trash out prior to moving and the last trash day somebody spied the pill bottles I keep tiny hardware in from my basement. Yup, I finally am admitting I will never use the extra screws from my 10 year old snow rake. Anyhoo, that bag of trash was open and all the pill/screw bottles were on the ground the next morning.

 

[LiveBelowMeans]

If your interested in learning about this crisis, I would recommend the book “Dreamland”. I had no idea of the driving forces. Jmho

 

[Chuckanut]

Legalize drugs without doing anything useful to get people off of them just results in more tents being setup by addicts on your city’s sidewalks.

 

[Lakewood90712]

Time to move?

Where ? Take a close look at just about any city, even rural areas, you will find the same Gated communities or uber wealthy areas excepted.

 

[aja8888]

Time to move?

Drugs are everywhere, especially in well-to-do neighborhoods now that Oxy is so hard to get. The replacement is heroin, which can be delivered in 20 minutes if you know who to call.

 

[robnplunder]

In my previous neighborhood, there was one kid with drug habit. For drug money, he resorted to breaking into houses and taking whatever he can grab. The cops finally got him but until he was caught, neighbors were on alert. Otherwise, it was a perfect neighborhood, middle income families with kids minding their own business.

 

[rayinpenn]

I have a saying ..”You dont know until you know”
1. It was the Dad i saw.. he came and knocked on my door - nice fellow he’s recovering from a brain tumor operation and has good and bad times. I caught him at a bad time. He told me he wasn’t angry more confused. When chatting with me his speech would slur.
2. He’s under unbelievable stress with some family tragedies.. the big C and more.
Yikes... poor soul

 

[trumpeting_angel]

I just retired from years of working in the courts. The word "epidemic" is no longer hyperbole in discussing this crisis. And no matter the income or class of the family, it's all too tragic. Many young kids dying. Some of them who grew up on welfare, others the children of lawyers, doctors, judges.

Heroin changes your brain functioning. The craving is incredibly intense; people can fully, sincerely intend to stop even as they reach for the next hit. A plague.

 

[target2019]

Kensington neighborhood in Philadelphia is ground zero in the drug wars. What happens in the suburbs is also a tragedy.

 

[rayinpenn]

That neighbor hood was profiled by the news and NYT.
It is 27.5 miles away from the kitchen table I am writing this from. I was unaware of it. I Suspect areas in Wilmington DE are as bad but not as infamous. Perhaps many or all cities have a Kensington?
Im told a foot ball injury sent the young fellow down the block on the path to addiction. I’m grateful the morphine I took for my knee operation killed the pain but made me feel bad.

Thanks for the heads up guys

News
https://youtu.be/gBYAshnY88U

NT Times
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/10/magazine/kensington-heroin-opioid-philadelphia.html
(I subscribe so I see it you may get free articles)

 

[Senator]

In my previous neighborhood, there was one kid with drug habit. For drug money, he resorted to breaking into houses and taking whatever he can grab. The cops finally got him but until he was caught, neighbors were on alert. Otherwise, it was a perfect neighborhood, middle income families with kids minding their own business.

What was the sentence when he was caught?