The Other side of LA

The taxi driver from the airport was absolutely lovely. He’s originally African and friends with an Australian writer so was quite at home with an Aussie and enjoyed telling me how really fucked up the U.S is. Economically the situation is still really dire. Teachers and policemen getting laid off. He told me how scary schools were already in L.A and now with lots shutting down, bigger class sizes and a much poorer – to the point of homelessness – middle class, it was very scary for him as a parent of a ten year old girl. The driver said he used to enjoy a holiday to Europe every year, now he can’t afford to take a day off. Although we have elements of this in Australia, you wonder how the US is going to come back from the reality of potentially losing it’s working and middle class in some areas and how this generation of kids will be affected. Considering how gang-affected LA is already, I wonder what ten years’ time will look like?


Then there’s the cheery, chatty Los Angeleans. The problem is, they’re often chatting to themselves. There’s some serious mental health issues rollerblading around the Venice Boulevard and walking the streets. There’s the homeless lying on the grass sleeping with all of their belongings in a bag next to them. I know this is not just confined to LA or the US but it always looks sadder in such a tourist hot spot. Families eating ice cream and tourists drinking beer to blaring music while people wander or sit, disconnected, dislocated, from any kind of normal life.

The fatties with way too little clothing on, choosing between burgers and hot dogs served in sizes worthy of three people. The guy playing air guitar in the middle of the footpath to no music. The guy yelling out his thoughts to the world as he wanders back and forth. The chick who tried to bum a smoke of a guy eating at the restaurant and asked if he was enjoying his grapes. He was a little bemused as he was clearly eating a burger.

There is always the seedy side, it seeps through the joy of experiencing a new place but I guess that’s OK, you can appreciate it for what it is rather than walking around blind and ignorant. Reminding you of the privilege of being able to work, travel, have a place to stay, converse with someone outside your own head.

Perspective, again.