Observations from the Montreal ghetto

Being in montreal over the past week was a great experience. I got to so the city and listen to a bit of jazz
guitar. The trip was mainly business but the little bit of pleasure I got, was good: good food, good music,
good sights.

The odd thing about the trip was the last night. I had heard that my hotel was in the “seedy” part of town
but I didn’t really click in, until I realized that every woman walking alone was scared of me. On that night
I had decided just to walk around and take in the architecture, the life and the crisp cold air. Most of the
time I liked to stay off the main streets, as the hustle and bustle takes away from the “moment” feeling. One
after the other I noticed that the women who were walking in front of me or by me all reached into their
pockets and purses. It wasn’t like reaching for a kleenex or a mint, I was sure that whatever they pulled out
and held tight in their hand, could do some serious damage to me. It was an odd and scary sensation to see
that they were actually afraid of me. And because they were afraid of me…made me afraid of where I was.

How could I have been afraid of Montreal? It’s a beautiful city with heritage and diversity. Don’t worry,
that last little experience won’t stop me from going back. I definitely want to see it again, and next time
I’ll just stay out of the “seedy” neighborhood.

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