I absolutely love Brooklyn, it has its own unique character... that to me sets it apart from the rest of New York City. It is not a big soul-less monolith full of faceless, nameless people hurrying here and there just thinking about making lots of money. No, Brooklyn is a collection of smaller neighborhoods that --as you visit them, make you feel you're visiting all these small countries with their own cultures and languages. However--as the scourge of the hipsters, yuppies and other so-called "in" people pour in from Manhattan---one by one these neighborhoods are vanishing.
These were the thoughts going through my head as I visited one of my favorite neighborhoods: the southside of Williamsburg. As I looked at the luxury condominiums---that by the way, sit there more than half-empty. The memories come flashing back to me. This was a neighborhood with so many rival gangs that you practically needed a passport to go from one block to the other--heck--to go from one side of the street to the other! But, believe or not, for those who lived there it was one big family. They took care of you. The only problem came if you had friends or relatives that wanted to visit you---then---you had to go to the subway station to pick them up and escort them to your place, many family members would not visit you at all.
And the buildings, mostly small brownstones, made you live the rugged life: it was hellishly hot in the summer, and in the winter --because of lack of heat--the windows would freeze over so bad you couldn't even see outside, and of course you had to share your apartment with the roaches and mice. But people found a way to cope. The summers were the most fun. There was a huge vinegar factory nearby and when the wind changed the smell of vinegar was everywhere. When things got hot-- the fire hydrants were opened. At night things would get really intense between the gangs--and when you called the police, while peeking from the lower edge of a window--- to report that this or that person was being chased by someone with a knife or a gun ---the police would tell you to just call them back when there was a body to pick up. You might think---that this was a horrible place, but no...it was great! Because no matter from what part of the planet you came from---you were accepted,
Now---I walk down the old streets and I see a very snooty lady walking with her dog, who looks as snooty as she does, and I smile. Yes-- the old neighborhood is gone...but you know what... it amuses me to see the rich people trying to convince themselves that yeah! look at me....I'm living in the southside of Williamsburg, see how tough and hip and cool I am....while the real Brooklynites just laugh at them behind their backs.
