Madness, Mayhem and Life in the 'Old Wild West'

In the immediate, bloody aftermath of the madness in South Baltimore’s Brooklyn community, with two dead of gunshots and 28 more wounded at an open neighborhood party on July 2, news traveled everywhere.

At my house, there came a text message all the way from the Australian city of Sydney.

“Is everything OK?” the message asked. “We know you’re in Baltimore and we heard about the shooting and want to make sure it’s nowhere near you.”

The message came from Jenny and Ian Alter to their son, Adam. He is my son-in-law, here for the Fourth of July holiday weekend with his wife, Sara, and our grandchildren. His parents live in Australia. He mentioned their text as we sat in my living room in Northwest Baltimore, which is miles from Brooklyn and the gunfire. (A 17-year-old male was recently arrested in connection with the Brooklyn tragedy, the largest shooting incident in the city’s history.)

In Northwest Baltimore, we have our own troubles, but there’s been nothing like the madness in Brooklyn the other day.

“What did you tell your folks?” my wife asked.

“That there’s nothing to worry about, that we’re nowhere near the shooting,” said Adam. “That’s correct, isn’t it?”

Yes, I lied.

Geographically, Brooklyn is pretty far from Northwest Baltimore. For the uninitiated, it’s south of Harborplace, south of Federal Hill and Locust Point, across the Hanover Street Bridge and then a few miles past Cherry Hill.

Emotionally, it’s not so far away.

Because it’s all part of the city of Baltimore. And the killings will be added to the annual 300 or so homicides barely endured here every year. And they’ll contribute more ammunition to the city’s scary reputation. And to the general anxiety of all who live here and attempt to love it despite its troubles.

And with the New York Times and Washington Post running the Brooklyn shootings big, and the cable news stations carrying the story, the city’s troubles are more than a national story. They’ve reached Australia. We’re international now.

“My parents,” said my son-in-law, “think of Baltimore as the ‘Old Wild West.’ And this adds to it.”

But you don’t have to be from Australia to feel this way. A lot of Baltimoreans feel that way, and don’t know what to do about it.

Brooklyn’s always had a pretty decent reputation. It feels like a small town. Traditionally, it’s a working-class area with strong families and solid neighborhoods. The shootings came in the midst of a celebration of such a community.

Now, we have the mayor going to Brooklyn, and the governor, too. They attempt to say healing words. The words are empty. There were children caught in the madness, and they’ll carry the fear and confusion of that day forever. If you pay attention, you can hear their cries.

You can now hear them all the way to Sydney, Australia.

Michael Olesker’s latest book, “Boogie: Life on A Merry-Go-Round,” was recently published by Apprentice House. It’s the life story of Baltimore legend Leonard “Boogie” Weinglass, an original “Diner” guy who grew up to create the Merry-Go-Round clothing chain and contribute millions to charity.