  i used to walk to school everyday. took about 15mins. after a while i got kind of malas,  coz its really cold in the mornings and i'm still not quite awake. anyway,  there's a streetcar/
train that passes not 200 yards from my house,  and passes by school on its way downtown. it costs $ 1. 25 to ride the train regardless if you ride for 1 minute or 40. i found out that you could ride the streetcar for free if you just climbed in the backdoor of the second car,
 so being cheap thats what i did. what i do is stand about 50yards away from the trainstop. when people get in from the front i jump in the back. if ever the ticket agents come looking you just pull the string and jump off at the next stop.  anyway,  50yards away from the trainstop where i stand is a barbershop.
i'm kinda paranoid about getting crapped on by birds so i stand right at the barbershop window,  under the awning shade.  now every monday i have class at 12pm,  so usually by 11. 40 i'm standing there waiting for the train. last day of class this sem happened to be on the 24th of may,
 however,  because iris was here visiting,  i finished my project and handed it in earlier so i wouldn't have to turn up for class that day. so anyway,  i'm sitting in my room on the 24th at around 11. 30 -
 11. 45 when i hear gunshots. i'm like 'yea, whatever' its been kind of a usual thing lately.  around 12. 30,
 we're going out downtown and we walk down to the trainstop. when we get there there's cops and ambulances,  and tv crew all over the place. turns out the barbershop got hit by a drive- by. some gang related stuff.
 as i stood there standing and staring at the bullet holes in the wall and the barbershop window,  i couldn't help but think 'damn,  if she didn't come visit,  i'd probably be going to school today,  and i'd probably have been standing right there'. how bizarre would that have been.
getting shot on your last day of school. like god playing some sick twisted joke on me. 'congratulations,  you finally graduated -  BANG! BANG!
' i really should move out of this neighbourhood.  END.
