Salting The Wounds

The school across the street finally shoveled the snow.

Granted it was a half assed only because they were practically forced effort but at least a majority of the snow was removed from the sidewalk.

Since I’m tired of begging the powers that be to meet their responsibilities, I simply started making my alderman aware of the issue.

Hey, I’ve tried to be nice.

All it gets me is trash strewn, weed choked hell hole.

So like my Mama said, “Time for talking is done.”

From what I understand the school across the street may have gotten a visit from the friendly local streets and san representative.

And while I’m not sure if there was a meeting, I can imagine if there was one it might have gone something like this:


Streets & Sans Rep: “Hi.”

School Across the Street: “Hi.”

Streets & San: “Apparently you’re not shoveling the snow on the south end of your property.”

School: “Yeah, so.”

Streets & San: “Well you might want to make an effort to shovel.”

School: “Why?”

Streets & San: “Besides that Woody screaming her head off, it is in violation of current ordinances.”

School: “Yeah we pretty much marginalize her and only respond to her bootleg concerns only when she calls. We figure we’ll wear her down. You do know that we don’t consider anything on the ‘other’ side of the fence our concern, right?”

Streets & San: “Well that very well may be, but it’s a new day in these parts. You have to keep up all of your property. Not just the parts your student, staff, visitor and fat cat alumni see.”

School: “So what if we don’t?”

Streets & San: “Let’s not get into a pissing match. I’m here as a friendly warning. You do know that I have the power to fine you, right?”

***Stone silence***

School: You know we pride ourselves in being a good neighbor.”

Streets & San: “Well then act like it---this is the only discussion we’ll be having on this subject. If there’s a next time, the fine notices will start showing up.


So after two weeks of having an impassible sidewalk, the school across the street finally shoveled sometime on Thursday morning.

Naturally since the shoveling was done with a minimum of effort, it didn’t go down to the sidewalk. This packed down the snow to create a even slicker walkway.

To keep to the theme of half assing their commitment to the ‘hood, the school didn’t even put any salt down to melt the snow left behind by the half assed shoveling job.

At least then the shitty shoveling job would of made sense.

See ‘cause then you would of thought, “Ok, they didn’t go down to the pavement but at least the salt will melt the rest of the snow.”

Apparently we’re not even worth salt.

Unbelievable. Un-fucking-believable.

Because this institution let free money from the South East Chicago Commission go unused; because this institution needs constant reminding of their parkway & sidewalk responsibilities and more importantly because of this institution’s lack of serious commitment to Woodlawn they finally need to be named.

Mt. Carmel High School doesn’t live up to their commitments.

Perhaps they have a soup kitchen in the neighborhood or help the seniors down the street. Maybe they help locals with free tax prep services.

I may be wrong, Mt. Carmel may be doing tons of service oriented projects around Woodlawn that I may not be aware of.

Hell, I don’t know everything, right?

But a lack of true community involvement plus spotty sidwalk & parkway maintenance equals a crappy neighbor.

So to commemorate this auspicious occasion, every time Mt. Carmel doesn’t shovel the snow, or pick up the trash or cut the grass the Mt. Carmel Watch-o-Meter will go up somewhere on the blog.

That is if I can figure out how to tweak my template.

If their track record is any indication, I suspect the Watch -o-Meter will be going up very soon.