these are the people in your neighborhood

Here is what I love about my neighborhood. I can leave the house in sweatpants and I am the most popular girl on the block.
I was doing laundry today. Laundry day=sweatpants. And, because my pants are a little long, I tuck them into rainboots. It was not raining. My hair is half in a ponytail, half messy, because I'm too lazy to brush my hair. I can do this and no one stares. No one comments. I fit in. It's great.
I got a "hey mami" from an older gentleman as I was walking to the store. Not an unusual greeting, and actually my personal favorite. I also got what I believe was a hiss as I walked in front of the pizza shop. Not a greeting I enjoy.
Then there was a woman I have never seen in front of the pizza shop. Black, probably about in her 50's, wearing a puffy coat and what I would describe as a church hat. The kind with a flower. "Hey baby", she said, as I walked by carrying my empty laundry basket on my way to fetch my clothes from the dryer. "Hey" I replied.
I retrieved my clothes and walked back, my lady friend was still there.
"Daaamn girl, you was quick! Daaammnnn", she laughed.
"Yeah", I said, "I don't mess around went it comes to laundry".
She laughed some more. Repeating, "damn, girl you was quick!" And, "I hear ya baby, I hear ya darling" as I unlocked the door of the building and retreated to my apartment.
Love it.

Note: For those who may not be familiar, that picture is of the corner across the street, featuring the priest from Dios Es Amor church downstairs, his megaphone, and the Lafayette Gardens sign (rip) which was unfortunately destroyed in an accident I witnessed involving a car jumping the curb.

I wrote a whole long post about my first two days in Florida. But Blogger only saved my original draft, which annoys me because losing posts was the whole reason I switched. Oh well. When I get around to it I will re-do it.