Safer

 In my life I have lived in about twenty places. I lived in a first ring suburb, I have lived in the city, I have lived in Saint Cloud which is a suburb but also a city, I have lived in the country on a lake (twice), I have in a suburb where everyone around me had 2 acre lots and now I live in a city again. This week I had a guy over to look at my kitchen faucet. This faucet was installed, according to the guy, in the 1940's and it was built to last. I joked with him and felt no fear at all with a strange guy in the house. This was not always the case. When I lived in a house with 2 acre lots, having a strange guy to the house caused me anxiety. Once, when I had to be assertive with a tree cowboy (arborist who goes door to door offering to cut down trees), I called a friend to come over and be there while I told him I was upset that he cut my black walnut tree to pieces when I had planned to sell that log. My friend, Lisa, was a great support and I gave her a big black walnut tree cookie for her assistance. Now, in Duluth, I don't have that kind of anxiety. My neighbors know me and they would hear me scream. I do have moments in Duluth where I am approached for money because they can't donate plasma today because they don't have any gas money or similar stories. I just reply that I don't have any cash and wish them a good day. I am pleasantly surprised that I feel safer in the city.