My yard is no stranger to trash. It’s a good 2 feet higher than the neighbors’ because of the three decades of household trash tossed into the soil as a sort of emulsifier. But we have cleaned the top layer and laid a patio and garden in a small corner of it, and I’m annoyed when I have to pick up new trash.
But one day a couple weeks ago I couldn’t help but be amused by the out-of-the-ordinary refuse I found as I let the dog out — one pair of pink panties, one open package of lube, and one big, fat, gushy condom full of milky sperm. I usually pick up the trash around my house barehanded, but I wasn’t touching that shit. So I went inside to get a paper towel, and when I came out, my housemates had let their dogs out — and the condom had mysteriously disappeared. I assume it was the big ridgeback-mix puppy who, uh, cleaned it up for me. Gross.
Every few days, another pair of panties sails into my yard from the building a couple doors down. That’s right, they have to make an effort to fling them over my neighbor’s yard and into mine. Like when they tossed that glue trap with a smashed mouse in it a few months back. It takes talent.
Those apartments are mostly Section 8 and stabilized. I guess now we know where the money they’re saving on rent is going — into an endless supply of new panties.
Whatever, joke’s on them — that dump will be condos in a year (like I figured months ago). Done deal.
Jimmy Legs September 25th, 2007 at 4:11 pm
someday i’ll be rich enough to never wear the same pair of underwear twice, too.
Becky September 25th, 2007 at 4:12 pm
That is vile. Thanks for reminding me not to let dogs lick my face. Ugh, I just threw up a little.
Also, I totally have a pair of those pink ones.
cheryl September 25th, 2007 at 4:55 pm
that reminds me, i need to go shopping for knickers
Jimmy Legs September 25th, 2007 at 4:56 pm
yard sale at jeremy’s!!
jenblossom September 25th, 2007 at 5:07 pm
EW.
jay September 25th, 2007 at 6:01 pm
so did they do in the backyard, or just fling the left over goods in the yard. what’s wrong with throwing these used items in the trash? especially a used condom in which matter can drip out and all over your windows as you fling it.
becky i think you just committed yourself as a potential victim.
jimmy since you shop where you do, you can afford to throw out those briefs you only pay 25 cents for in packs of 25.
Martha September 26th, 2007 at 8:25 am
Mild in comparison:
I never disposed of such colorful treasures in my backyard when I had one. The ones I unearthed were the bland white and stiff “Fruit of the Loom” types that sailed over from my neighbor’s deck railing – he didn’t use clothe pins.
Sandra September 26th, 2007 at 9:02 am
Where is section 8? That’s just GROSS!!!
I would definately talk to neighbors about this. I just don’t sit and quite about it AT ALL. Especially toward those people who eat and sleep on the tax money that I work so hard and earned!!! It is not only Jeremy’s matter, it is for all of us live in Bushwick – I am pissed!
Martha September 26th, 2007 at 9:34 am
I very much agree with Sandra.
Jeremy September 26th, 2007 at 1:10 pm
Sandra, it’s a huge building, and I only have an idea of who exactly it is. I could talk to the super, but again, what could she do? I find it all mostly amusing, as the last throes of the old Bushwick. That building will be vacant soon enough as the new owner is gearing up for a condo conversion. They already booted the nail salon in the storefront.
Matt September 26th, 2007 at 4:40 pm
Perhaps your only current recourse is shame.
Start nailing the panties to the front door, with a big sign for the neighborhood saying ‘skanks inside: beware of flying panties and used condoms’.
Heather September 26th, 2007 at 4:59 pm
I think Sandra thinks Section 8 is a place.
I think Jeremy is amazingly offensive. Isn’t it possible to have a Bushwick blog that’s not full of whiny kids that have lived there for five minutes complaining because the people who have lived there for twenty years pay less rent than they do?
Jeremy September 26th, 2007 at 5:08 pm
Heather, that was an aside, not my complaint, which is that there are dirtbags in that building who don’t just not respect other people’s stuff, they go out of their way to violate it.
Besides, the issue isn’t simply that some people have lower rent. But you knew that already.
Oh, and I love this:
“I think Jeremy is amazingly offensive.”
That should be on a “What They Saying About Us” page.
Heather September 26th, 2007 at 6:24 pm
I think the first issue is you’re living in a slum and worrying about a few pairs of underwear in the street. The second issue would be that you’ve decided to use this point to illustrate your contempt for your neighbors. What a nice guy you are.
killer September 26th, 2007 at 6:50 pm
Haaa Heather is a bitch!
Jeremy September 26th, 2007 at 7:02 pm
No, the first issue is that you keep fucking up in your analyses. The underwear is in my YARD, not the street. My contempt for some of my neighbors come from their worthy actions.
kristen September 26th, 2007 at 7:04 pm
jeremy,
you’ve made many a statement that reeks of prejudice, classism, and colonialism (in the cultural sense). it often reads as if you’re attempting to be clever or sarcastic, but i don’t buy it. like in this case, it’s not always about the specific circumstances of the situation, but the place from where your position on the situation comes. the way in which you frame and support your observations says a lot about how you see “others” around you. you obviously don’t get it. and yeah, it’s often amazingly offensive.
Jeremy September 26th, 2007 at 7:14 pm
Kristin, way to say about 100 words that together convey absolutely nothing. You are today’s Queen of Vacuous Rhetoric. José from Make the Road must be jealous, since you have robbed him of his triple-crown.
Heather September 26th, 2007 at 7:37 pm
Jeremy, I know back in high school when you read The Fountainhead and filled out the little card in the back of the book, the Objectivists sent you mail telling you that you were special — but — guess, what — they were lying.
guillermo September 26th, 2007 at 9:38 pm
heather and kristen: you are uptight and self-righteous.
william September 27th, 2007 at 7:33 am
Jeremy, you have no right to have a clean yard. How culturally insensitive of you. If it was not for your offensive colonialization of bombed out and abused low income housing the workers (underwear) of the world could unite and throw off the chains of your (underwear) oppression.
p.s. I was, until now, unaware that hygiene and respect for your neighbors property was associated with a specific class or ethnicity.
Martha September 27th, 2007 at 9:24 am
I had trouble too making that connection – poverty and hygiene.
sokko September 27th, 2007 at 10:08 am
You do realize that taking over a neighborhood requires some amount of grin and bearing don’t you?
Should they be tossing you roses?
It’s called Bushwick for a reason, homeboy.
Todd September 27th, 2007 at 10:08 am
This is EXACTLY where the ballistic trajectory calculation computer worn by the Predator would come in handy.
Rick September 27th, 2007 at 10:15 am
Remember the lessons of fascism. Hitler started his nefarious campaign by complaining about dirty yards.
Marisleysis September 27th, 2007 at 10:38 am
“p.s. I was, until now, unaware that hygiene and respect for your neighbors property was associated with a specific class or ethnicity.”
Once again, I have to remind the thoughtful people, who are “defending” the poor little Hispanics in Bushwick, that being filthy is not a hallmark of my culture/ethnicity. I don’t think it is a pre-requisite for getting a welfare check and food stamps either. You are helping no one by defending scumbags con falta de respeto.
Matt September 27th, 2007 at 10:58 am
Heather and Kristen, please go start your own blogs.
Then we can all come and comment on how pure, respectful and golden the sunshine is that flies out of your ass.
TL September 27th, 2007 at 11:39 am
Their loss is your gain. You can get good money for those used pantied on ebay.
Martha September 27th, 2007 at 11:44 am
hitler and dirty yards – too simplistic.
Jeremy September 27th, 2007 at 11:49 am
Love these Gothamist comments. Should I post the undies as separate lots on ebay or as one sale? :-D
Martha, I’m pretty sure the Hitler thing was a joke.
Andrew September 27th, 2007 at 11:56 am
Poor Jeremy, every time he has the guts to stand up to the minority of people who are scumbags in our neighborhood, he gets labeled a racist. Everyone should have a right to complain about trash and dirt and excess noise, and even pink underwear, because if they live in the neighborhood, they have a stake in it. Or are you people saying Jeremy doesn’t have a right to complain about the conditions in which he lives, because he is white? Wouldn’t that be, er, racist?
Martha September 27th, 2007 at 11:56 am
No, I meant that hitler was much more devious.
Martha September 27th, 2007 at 12:19 pm
No. 31. Yes, Jeremy is being demonized.
Icarus September 27th, 2007 at 12:45 pm
Am I the only one to whom those panties look a little, how shall I put this, Hispanic?
deez September 27th, 2007 at 12:48 pm
I hear you Todd—Predator would have blasted that back yard jizzin vagabond straight to Jersey
huh September 27th, 2007 at 4:23 pm
Since we’re on the “Is Jeremy racist/classist” tip, I’ll add this:
what was the point of mentioning that the building which you suspect the items came from mostly includes section 8/stabilized units? I don’t see what this has to do with it. Are people who pay market rate any less likely to be assholes/slobs?
And to Sandra:
why do you assume that people who have rent stabilized/ Section 8 units are “eating and sleeping” (reference to “sleep n’ eat” minstrel character?) on your tax dollars? Some people just don’t make enough for market rate, it doesn’t mean they are unemployed.
Jeremy September 27th, 2007 at 5:37 pm
Mentioning section 8 was a device I used to make an amusing point about how many pairs of underwear are being flung into my yard on a weekly basis. Since New Yorkers are a bunch of fucking sensitive ass pussies who take offense at everything, you all put too much emphasis on it.
That said, yes, people with Section 8 are more likely to be assholes/slobs because the kind of person who applies for such a program already has a bloated sense of entitlement and tends to be among the most irresponsible — aside from people who live in the projects — members of society. And frankly, it never gets boring pointing it out.
And in defense of Sandra, being employed does not mean someone who is on public assistance is not living at taxpayer expense. Trying to tie her comment to racism (minstral? please) is low, but people who see racism in every shadow and whisper don’t realize how tired it really is.
Martha September 27th, 2007 at 8:03 pm
As myself is concerned, I rather give my tax money to needy people than in support of stupid wars.
Mr. Kraayon September 27th, 2007 at 11:06 pm
The Fountainhead is a great book. Why do you assume a person is an Objectivist just because they have a problem with finding underwear and a used condom on there own property? We all have the right to bitch,especially one who has property rights and it is his property that is being vandalized. If it was one of the majority of property owners in Bushwick,who happen to be Latino, would you still be making a big stink? Doubtful you would, because they are brown and obviously don’t have the same air of entitlement that all white homeowners in America apparently have.
Sandra September 28th, 2007 at 8:51 am
Be quite – simply what happened to Jeremy is not nice, think about it, throwing panties (God knows they are clean or not!!) and used rubber with a bit of surprice. Our parents and society did not teach us to throw these private things especially into somebody’s backyard or even front porch. Why everyone likes to mixed up with racial, poverty and other mumbo/jumbo issues. I mentioned a bit that I am pissed towards those foodstamp and other social benefit claiming people because look at these panties, they look a pretty fancy. I used live in Battery Park in downtown Manhattan in the nice condo at the ground floor with a little garden in the back, which my company used to pay for! Guess what, the upstairs snoby wall street guys threw cigarettes, used rubbers and illegal things which I cannot say it in here!!! (but not harmless panties.) All the tenants (including lease tenants) on the ground level got together and the Condo board , and kicked them out! yes, we did. That’s my point. Throwing SHITS into anybody’s garden and yard is not acceptable.
Ridgehooder September 28th, 2007 at 10:05 am
What about the dog?
Sandra September 28th, 2007 at 11:10 am
to 41,
What a STUPID comment – do not even waste your another breath.
Jeremy September 28th, 2007 at 11:45 am
I’m confused by the last few comments.
huh September 28th, 2007 at 3:01 pm
Jeremy,
How can you assume that the person who applies for section 8 has a bloated sense of entitlement? These programs are available for people who need some help. Does my sense of entitlement explain why I go to the library? are people who apply for college scholarships and/or financial aid less responsible as you claim those who have section 8 are?
It just seems to me that you are making assumptions about an enormously large group of people who share one thing in commoin, rent assistance. you really cannot assume that everyone who uses these programs has a certain mindset.
I have met probably an equal number of affluent people who have a the same sense of entitlement you claim poor people tend to have.
Let’s face it. assholes, slobs, and stuck up asshole/slobs are not confined to class/race/religion or geographic location.
sorry to go on so long, but you really need to get your head out of your ass on this one.
Deirdre September 28th, 2007 at 8:44 pm
Dear Jeremy,
Thanks for the funny story complete with graphic details:”one big, fat, gushy condom full of milky sperm.”
Also, I totally agree with your view point.
John Dereszewski September 29th, 2007 at 9:06 am
I think the best that can be said about this is that one or two of Jeremy’s neighbors are slobs who have no sense of responsibility. I also strongly suspect that most of their Hispanic and rent stabilized neighbors probably resent their presence every bit as much – if not more – as Jeremy does. So let’s leave it at that and not draw any broader and stereotype laden conclusions about the nature of Bushwick’s old term residents, Hispanics, rent regulated residents, etc. The fact is that slobs exist in every racial, ehtnic and economic group. (As the Presidnet of my Coop Board in beautiful Forest Hills, I can rattle off any number of horror stories regarding the outrageous and irresponsible actions of a small number of our thoroughly middle class shareholders.) So, beyond making the obvious point that slobs live among us, let’s just move on.
Heather September 29th, 2007 at 9:35 pm
After reading more of Jeremy’s blog, I realize that he has a rather large target sign painted on his back because he wants it there. Far be it for me to interfere, I mistakenly thought this was a site about an underrated and underrepresented neighborhood that I happen to like.
Jeremy October 1st, 2007 at 2:02 pm
#44 — Comparing Section 8 vouchers to borrowing a book at the library should be beyond the consideration of even a complete dingbat. These aren’t just “people who need help.” They are people too spoiled to move to a place they can afford to live without having hundreds or thousands of dollars of tax money spent to pay their rent.
I have met probably an equal number of affluent people who have a the same sense of entitlement you claim poor people tend to have.
I didn’t say poor people have a sense of entitlement. I said spoiled brats on several kinds of welfare for generations have a sense of entitlement. Furthermore, we are talking about very different kinds of “entitlement” here, clearly. Affluent people don’t demand that someone take care of them cradle to grave, and that since they fucked up their lives or never did anything for themselves, that those who did should feed, clothe, and house them. So whatever it is you’re talking about — not the same thing.
Let’s face it. assholes, slobs, and stuck up asshole/slobs are not confined to class/race/religion or geographic location.
Of course not. What I am saying is that the kind of person who is so irresponsible and bratty as to demand everyone else take care of their sorry asses in a neighborhood/city/region they can’t otherwise afford TENDS to be more likely to be an asshole and/or a slob. Or a criminal or an idiot, for that matter. It’s a fine filter — the client rolls of these programs probably read like a police blotter.
sorry to go on so long, but you really need to get your head out of your ass on this one.
No, you need to get your head out of your ass and realize that people on chronic welfare are not a normal cross-section of society. If you have ever truly had any kind of contact with them, you would know this.
Jeremy October 1st, 2007 at 2:04 pm
John (#46), you’re definitely right — their being Hispanic or Latino has nothing to do with the fact that they are dirtbags. The guy who made a joke about the panties “looking Hispanic” was pointing this out. But isn’t easy to just say I’m a racist and be done with it? Certainly.
Jeremy October 1st, 2007 at 2:06 pm
Heather — you’re a whiny cunt who can’t piece together a coherent argument that isn’t full of strawmen and misrepresentations.
Wayne December 1st, 2007 at 10:33 am
Rent Stabilization sucks. The rent stabilized tenants in this building are the worst. They are fearful passive-aggressive jerks otherwise just aggressive.
This is a mixed building so new tenants pay normal market rent while those living here since 1970 and/or their kids are hanging on for dear life to their precious low rent spaces.
When a new tenant moves in, they yell “THEY LET ANYONE MOVE IN THIS BUILDING!” outside their door before scurrying out the building.
I can’t wait until the day rent stabilization is over.