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Remember to take in your lightbulb!
Last week a black co-worker imparted a story and gave me a further window into the way of life among certain populations. I thought I would share this new deep lore with all of you.
His name is Brian, and Brian lives in a predominantly black part of town. His apartment complex of several hundred units does not host a single white family or person. There is not much "diversity" in the population at all. It's almost entirely black.
Brian told me he likes to sit on his back patio at night and have a few beers. His apartment is furthest back in the complex. Nobody lives behind him. There is a stand of trees and little else. He told me that he "forgot to take in his lightbulb" last night and somebody stole it.
My reaction was mostly confusion. in my entire life, I have never once heard the phrase "I need to take in my lightbulb. Ever. I had no context or understanding.
Brian explained that in very dark areas, if you want a light outside, such as a porch or patio light, you have to take the bulb inside with you when you go inside. If not, somebody will come by later in the night and steal the unattended bulb to use inside their apartment instead of buying lightbulbs. There is no need to buy your own lightbulbs when others leave them on all night outside for easy picking. They see it as an unnecessary expense.
So every night, if Brian wants to have a light on while outside, he has to unscrew the bulb from the fixture and take it back in with him, or else it will get stolen. He went on to say you definitely do not leave a chair outside, not even a milk crate to sit on if you'd like to keep it.
I am not a stranger to these parts of town at all. I can move in them comfortably and unbothered, which I'm somewhat proud of. But this level of low trust had me reeling for the rest of the day.
Take care... and don't forget to take in your lightbulb!
Last week a black co-worker imparted a story and gave me a further window into the way of life among certain populations. I thought I would share this new deep lore with all of you.
His name is Brian, and Brian lives in a predominantly black part of town. His apartment complex of several hundred units does not host a single white family or person. There is not much "diversity" in the population at all. It's almost entirely black.
Brian told me he likes to sit on his back patio at night and have a few beers. His apartment is furthest back in the complex. Nobody lives behind him. There is a stand of trees and little else. He told me that he "forgot to take in his lightbulb" last night and somebody stole it.
My reaction was mostly confusion. in my entire life, I have never once heard the phrase "I need to take in my lightbulb. Ever. I had no context or understanding.
Brian explained that in very dark areas, if you want a light outside, such as a porch or patio light, you have to take the bulb inside with you when you go inside. If not, somebody will come by later in the night and steal the unattended bulb to use inside their apartment instead of buying lightbulbs. There is no need to buy your own lightbulbs when others leave them on all night outside for easy picking. They see it as an unnecessary expense.
So every night, if Brian wants to have a light on while outside, he has to unscrew the bulb from the fixture and take it back in with him, or else it will get stolen. He went on to say you definitely do not leave a chair outside, not even a milk crate to sit on if you'd like to keep it.
I am not a stranger to these parts of town at all. I can move in them comfortably and unbothered, which I'm somewhat proud of. But this level of low trust had me reeling for the rest of the day.
Take care... and don't forget to take in your lightbulb!
This is why they can't have nice things.
Like White civilization.
I’m too lazy to steal lightbulbs. If they put as much effort into building a functional society as they do stealing stuff they wouldn’t have so many problems.