Blake in the 'Hood

I took Blake for a drive on Friday so I could see what the course was going to be like for a half marathon that I was running on Saturday, and we had to drive about four miles through South Phoenix to get to the start of the course which was in the South Mountain Preserve, so thank goodness, I wasn't going to have to run through South Phoenix, although, truth be told, I have run to my car from a patient's house on more than one occasion, but that doesn't really count.  I was nervous to drive him through the ghetto because I didn't want him to see anything unsavory, such as drug deals going down, or ladies of the night up early, or a homeless person getting dressed for the day, so my plan was that we drive straight through and not to draw attention to anything going on out on the streets.  Now, in South Phoenix's defense, when that area was my territory and I was seeing patients in that area, I never saw anything really bad, but now that Kevin has to drive in those areas, he tells me stories that have scarred my imagination.  Like the time that he saw a "lady" getting dressed in an empty lot.  Or when he saw a man....Okay, I can't finish that story because my mom might read this.  So, as I was attempting to get through there as fast as I could, Blake was yelling out "Look at that, Mom!" It was a Llantera, or Mexican tire shop.  And then "Mom!  Look over there!"  A Carniceria, a Mexican super market, all in very bright colors.  And then his favorite "MOM!"  A gentleman's club with pinatas outside.  Maybe I have become jaded to all of the fun that is South Phoenix.  Maybe I'm looking for the bad when I really should be noticing all the bright colors and regular people just trying to get by.  I'm still not getting out of the car for a closer look.