A green glow in the Oleander Street neighborhood - By N.L. Belardes

Vietnamese restaurant in the Oleander neighborhood.

I live in a strange Oleander street neighborhood. Just down the street the Bakersfield High Drillers (6th ranked high school football team in the state of California) just lost to the town’s Catholic school, Garces. I stopped by during the game last night to see a crowd of youth rushing the field after the game.

A few streets away headline news broke when a car chase led police and sheriffs to the edge of Forrest Street and H Street. Hoodlums were caught on Cherry Street. One street over, kids died in a tragic explosion—their souls hopefully in heaven and not wandering the Oleander ghost streets.

At night in nearby Beale Park, tennis courts fill with young dancers beat box or break dancing in huge crowds. During the day people roam the park. Skaters hang out. Families have parties. It’s inner city. Many white people avoid the park; just depends on the day. Sometimes trash fills the park and surrounds big blankets even though trash cans stand nearby.


A ghostly mansion of child spirits and past decadence...

Tonight I roamed around the neighborhood. I saw the old creepy Fritts mansion. I saw Thai Garden with a few customers inside, the Pantry also with a few. I passed by two Palm Readers and the old Weinerschnitzel.

And then I passed by the Saigon Restaurant.

I had to stop.

It was so green.

Would you have stopped?

This entry was posted by N.L. Belardes, on Saturday, September 30, 2006. You can leave your response.