It's been a long month.

Injuries, hospital visits, emergency room stays, full contact matches, and a major move.

Alicia and I had an opportunity to buy a house through the help of her sister. The possibility came up very fast. After an exhaustive search we were able to find a beautiful house in the city of Lynwood. I had never heard of the place but it was an opportunity to own again.

After an exhausting move that lasted two weeks and took place in the worst heat wave seen in Los Angeles in many decades, we were finally done. The next morning I took my youngest son to childcare. Needing to run some errands I took my time getting home.

Upon arriving home I noticed that the realtors sign was still up and decided to take it down. I noticed that my gate was open but didn't read too much into it as meter readers and mail carriers aren't always very courteous. As I was taking the sign down a sheriff's car passed me by. I made eye contact with him and he drove away. Suddenly I was approached by one of my new neighbors. He began the conversation in Spanish as most people mistakenly view me as Latino. (I'm Black and Sicilian for those who don't know). I told him politely that I didn't understand him. The rest of the conversation went something like this:

Neighbor: Do, eh, two eh-black live here?
Me: Uh, excuse me?
Neighbor: I eh-see two, how you say? Knee-gers?
Me: So what the hell are you trying to say man?
Neighbor: Oh, noting but two eh-guy come in and take stuff.
Me: What?? Wait one minute! Thank you!

I run inside the house only to see that the door had been kicked open. Stuff had been stolen. Our new house violated. So far what has been noticed missing is two laptops, a portable DVD player, my iPod, and some jewelry.

Ugh.

Hell of a way to top off a move.

At the same time my mind really can't wrap it's head around the problem. There is a great episode of the Sopranos entitled "Unidentified Black Males" where made up black men are made the scapegoats for all the crimes committed in the episode. Very well written.

I can't help but think that my next door neighbor's nephew is right now listening to all the Richard Pryor albums I had just downloaded.