This is my story about drama in paradise aka the valley of the sun aka Arizona from Glendale to Chandler. 

 

When I first moved to Arizona, I ended up in Tolleson which is a suburb of Phoenix. I arrived after midnight so I had no real clue what anything really looked like. 

When I woke up in the morning, it was sunshine and palm trees! I thought, wow! This is Arizona? Where's the desert??? I would later learn that we're in the Sonoran Desert and we're essentially in the developed portion. There's plenty of Un-Developed land all around us. The "Real" Desert as it were.. is not far off in the distance. 

I was in Az for about 2 weeks before I decided it was time to find and apartment. So, on Dec 31st 2009 I decided to secure my first apartment outside of Michigan in Glendale, Az. I wound up living at 67th Ave and Glendale Ave which is not far from the quaint little town of Old Town Glendale. Now, I had no idea where I was in actuality and my friends didn't exactly lend their "expertise" or opinion on my choice of location. Would have been kinda helpful considering what I encountered down the road. 

First there was the constant drama around the complex from Drug Dealers to a woman running around in a nightgown with her child. I got along with my neighbors for the most part but when I walked down to Bethany Holme and 67th to find Street Pros standing.. well, that was kind of my clue I might be in the pitts! LOL! Next, I found myself in a bit of a lockdown due to a Police hunt with Helicopters flying around the field next door hunting for a man on the run. 

You could say enough was enough when they wanted to "raise the rent"! HA! Not a chance! I quickly found my way to Chandler where I was actually working. I found Park Towers, a quaint apartment complex that didn't see too bad.. this was in the East Valley which was was kind of familiar with and unfamiliar with at the same time. I traveled a bit and explored the metro area and visited my Tim whom worked at Chandler Regional at the time. 

I had really only been to Chandler a few times while working. None of the jobs worked out well but it got me familiar with Chandler to a point. The next thing I knew I had just lost my job at Pearson.. hello Wells Fargo at about $10 an hour.. hey.. it paid the rent!! 

My next adventure began at Park Towers when a dude named Andrew moved in downstairs. I was on the second floor. At first everything was ok, but then things kind took a turn for the worst. Andrew didn't work and all he wanted to do was party, hard, all the time. I'd come home from work during lunch to see Tiger and he would have his music blasting. He was basically living off his daddy's $$$ not caring about anyone else but himself. He would bring prostitutes back to his apartment and bragged about it. He and his drunk friend would get into fights and then gang up on me later causing all kinds of havoc. Eventually I would call the police multiple times. Eventually, he ended up getting arrested and then evicted. Of course, he blamed me for all of it when he caused his own problems. Eventually, I moved out but not before getting harassed by his friend John.. the drunk. 

Since leaving Park Towers I have encountered various idiots on the road while driving my explorer before it died. I believe those people where friends of Andrew and John. 

I've since been living at a completely different complex where things have been quiet and calm and peaceful for me for the last 10 years! Now and then some drama but nothing I can't deal with. It'll be about 12 years before I'm ready to move out and on to my next big adventure which I'm hoping will land me in a Condo not too far from here. Time will tell... 

 Since living at my new complex, we have had our share of issues such as a woman that killed her baby claiming it was kidnapped,  domestic disturbances, SWAT showed up but in general, it's a pretty good neighborhood in my complex since things things can happen anywhere in all honesty. 

I say hi to most of my neighbors. Many of them are kind enough to say hi back.. others keep to themselves. Meh.. it is what it is. 

During my time here both pre covid and after, there have been many changes. I got along with all the kids. I used to give out water but not before running out of flavored water that was for one little kid.. eventually the kid told others and they all showed up at my door. I had to stop handing it out. 

Most of the kids moved out. Today, it's mainly a few kids and lots of adults now. The families moved out and onward. 

I've had some pretty good neighbors. I used to get along with the woman next to me before she complained about something I did that wasn't to her liking and we've not spoken since. I used to watch her place and her packages while she was gone but she screwed up and now we don't talk anymore.