u/pupupeepee

“With 6 kids and no car, Emily Finch gets around Portland, Oregon with her family on a cargo bicycle. Here's her story.” (2014)

I am trying to understand: My granddaughter called on Sunday. She lives in Oakland now, which is fine, I have made peace with it.

She said her rent went up. I said by how much. She said $350. I said $350 a year is not unreasonable, dear. She said no, grandma, $350 a month. I laughed. I thought she was making one of her jokes. She was not making one of her jokes.

So I asked, gently, what she pays in total. She said $1,800. I said for the house? She said for the room. I said which room. She said her room. I said what about the other rooms. She said other people pay for those. I said how many other people. She said four.

There are five adults in a house in Oakland and they are paying — i did the math on a napkin, twice — $9,000 a month. For a house. In Oakland.

I asked who the landlord is. She said an LLC. I said which LLC. She said she didn't know. SHE DOES NOT KNOW WHO HER LANDLORD IS. In my day you knew your landlord. Granted, in my day I was the landlord, but the principle stands.

I told her she should just buy a house. She got quiet. Then she said something about a "down payment" being "$300,000" and I told her to stop being dramatic. I bought my first house for $42,000 and I worked one summer at a bookstore on College to do it. She said the bookstore is a vape shop now. I do not see how that is relevant.

Sincerely,

Margaret

Tuesday at 4:47pm, I was watering the agapanthus. He came up the hill silently — they are silent, by design — and as he passed he raised his hand. Not a full wave. A small wave.

Was it a threat? Was it surveillance? Was he the same man from the meeting? They all wear those ugly helmets.

I called the non-emergency line. The woman asked if i wanted to file a report. I said "of course you idiot!" She put me on hold. I was on hold for 22 minutes. That is also part of it.

My doctor has prescribed something for the dreams. In the dreams the wave happens slower. In the dreams I wave back and that is when i wake up.

Bob says he saw him too. He is a Harvard lawyer, he will help me.

Karen

he was 81. very healthy. he had just finished his fourth public comment of the week and was literally writing the email version when it happened. the email is still in drafts. it was a good email.

before anyone says "marin doesnt have a proposed bike lane" let me stop you. that is the point. they are not proposing one currently which is exactly the kind of thing you propose next. you study it, then you propose it, then you build it, then everyone dies.

he warned them. at the october meeting he stood up and said "if you put a single line of paint on marin you will kill me." we have it on tape. councilmember harrison literally laughed. she literally laughed at a man's death threat against himself.

now the city is "considering a road safety study." they are doing this WHILE WE GRIEVE.

i am not saying the bike people killed my husband. i am saying they created the conditions in which he died. there is a difference. my lawyer agrees. so does bob.

we are forming a committee. dm for details.