The Bad Boyfriend

We've all had that "bad relationship."  The one that everyone knows we're in except us.  You know, the ones that you put all the effort into and the hoping and the excuses and the certainty that at some point they are going to change and actually be good for you?  It was that relationship that you obsessed about to the point you couldn't function.

Yeah, that one.  We've all been there.

Well, I think I'm in one of those relationships.

Having been in one before, you'd think that I'd know the signs sooner, right?  Wrong.  In fact, I've been in this relationship for quite a while, like ten years and it was only last week that I started to catch on.  We've been through quite a bit.  Its been a long road.  It's kinda hard to believe its gone on as long at it has. But, maybe its because unlike the last time I was in one of these relationships, this one isn't with a person.

Its with a place.  This city is like a bad boyfriend.

Sure, I've been pulling for it.  I've made a million excuses for it.  I've pointed out all its good sides to anyone that will listen.  I've given and given of myself to make this thing work.  I've stayed up late.  I've gone to meetings.  I've picked up trash.  I've worked in homeless shelters.  I've spent a lot of time loving this place. I kept telling myself that it just needs time and it will change.

But, for a while now I've had this sinking feeling in my gut that this relationship isn't working.  Sometimes all I can do is sigh and shake my head.  Maybe I just needed a vacation.  Last Thursday, though, is when I really started to realize that it may not be worth it.  I was riding home down Exchange St. after my Tour de Akron.  I like Exchange St.  Its nice and wide, I can take the lane, and its pretty much all downhill.  Drivers always give me plenty of room because of the space.  I've never have had any problems on Exchange.  Ever.  Sure I get buzzed from time to time, but I usually know who's going to do it and foil their plans (yes, I am a car profiler and I'm not ashamed to admit it).

Well, Thursday, I couldn't have predicted what happened.  I was buzzed.  It wasn't just a little too close for comfort buzz, that guy passed so close that I could have run my fingers along the sides of his cruiser and felt the swirl marks in the paint.  Yes, that's right, I was buzzed by a cop.  A freaking Police Officer.  No, I didn't get the cruiser number.  I was too shaken to think of it.

Immediately I started making excuses for him.  Maybe he didn't see me?  Well, that doesn't make sense.  I was wearing neon and covered in lights and I was in the center of the lane.  It was broad daylight on a straightaway.  He had to have seen me.  Well, maybe he was having a bad day?  Who cares!  His bad day is no excuse to kill someone!

Then it hit me.  What if he had killed or injured me?  He totally could have, it was definitely in the cards when he decided to pass within inches of me.  Would he have stopped?  If he had, how would he explain what happened?  I was passing through a really sketchy section of the neighborhood, so chances are that if someone witnessed it, they wouldn't say anything.  Would he have blamed me? Would he have been fired or at the very least reprimanded?  Would someone from the Akron Police Force have personally apologized to my family?  Would the law be followed or thrown aside because he was a cop?  The thought that my injury or death at the hands of police officer would get turned into some sort of cycling internet cause wasn't comforting.

What kind of place am I living in where a cop thinks its perfectly acceptable to intimidate a law abiding cyclist?

Ok.  I'm not going to judge the whole city on one bad egg.

Then Monday rolled around.  This story may sound unbelievable, but I swear its true.  We had a wolf or at least a wolf/dog hybrid roaming around the office yesterday morning.  I know, I know.  This is Akron, Ohio, we haven't had wolves here since like 1815 or something.  But I'm telling you, it was a wolf, not a coyote.  The Zoo will back me up.

Anyway, I called the Dog Warden as instructed by Summit County Animal Control.  I was on hold for 15mins.  Finally, I was told that the Warden was dispatched and would be there sometime before noon.  Meanwhile, this wolf was panicking the people that live around here.  They were stopping in the road and yelling and one or two threatened to go get their 9's and go all gangsta on this animal that hadn't done anything wrong.  His only fault was that he looked exactly like a wolf.  More than likely, he belonged to one of the "gangstas" and had escaped or was set loose.  So, we decided for the sake of the wolf and us, to call the Police Department to see if they could send someone to calm the crazies down until the warden showed up.

Not a single cop ever showed up.  Neither did the Dog Warden.

The wolf hasn't been seen since.

Its not like we were calling about a raccoon in the dumpster.  That poor wolf was creating panic and people were threatening violence.  The last thing the people around here need is an excuse to pull the guns out of their waistbands.  But, no one came.  No one.

So, I ask myself, what is wrong with this city?  Public servants aren't doing their jobs and some are endangering the lives of the citizens.  Crime is up and things are falling apart all over the area.  Meanwhile, none of the citizens seem to care.  If they did, they'd insist on changes.  But it seems they're perfectly happy watching this place rot around them.

I don't know, but maybe I do need a vacation and a little perspective.  But, I'm starting to feel like this city and I need to break up.