| If you’re old enough, you’ll probably remember hearing about the huge feud between the L.A. street gangs known as the Bloods and the Crips. Living in Los Angeles, I am no stranger to different gangs and I am not at all intimidated by gang members. But the truth is that even though the cost of living has made it difficult for most gang members to reside in Los Angeles, there are still Bloods and Crips and yesterday I found myself stuck right between them. I had an appointment yesterday, but one of my kids wanted to use my car. So..being the loving and generous father that I am, I decided I would take an Uber and let my daughter use my car. I got to my appointment fine and everything went so well that I decided to treat myself to a little breakfast. I love pancakes and I had heard about an amazing little pancake house close to where I was on the south side of Los Angeles. Now I don’t use Uber often and I didn’t realize that I accidentally selected the option that allows other people to share the ride with me. Big mistake! Now we’re a couple of blocks north of what most people describe as an urban warzone. It’s at this point that my Uber driver tells me to keep my eyes open and not be afraid because we’re driving through the Bloods neighborhood. Then she proceeds to tell me she’s got my back because she’s a Crip. At this point, my heart is pumping and I’m curious all in one and starting to lose my appetite for pancakes. But then she says she’s “strapped” and shows me her gun. She then starts talking all about the feud between her Crips and the Bloods. It’s funny because it’s almost like they have their own language – their own vocabulary. Although I was never in a gang, I grew up poor on the streets of L.A. so I could follow the stories she was telling me pretty well. It’s funny how depending on where you are or what groups you belong to, you’ll have your own vocabulary that a lot of other people won’t understand. This all reminds me of how I was able to acquire a property in L.A. because I knew how to use the right vocabulary for that person and the situation they were in. I’ll share that story with you next time. Oh, by the way, I did eventually make it to get pancakes. Apparently, my love of pancakes trumps my fear of gangs because my appetite did come back and they were delicious. To your success, Ernie “Gang Pancakes” Vargas | The Probate Fox |
August 24
I Just Wanted Pancakes But Ended Up In A Gang War
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