A Modern Tale

The park had changed. What had been a safe and friendly place for young children was no longer that.

Gang bangers, drug dealers—these were coming to the small city park nestled between houses in a rather congested Chicago neighborhood. They came with their young children in tow sometimes, but their presence did nothing to deter the drug deals or the shouting and fighting.

Other youngsters in the park would be shuffled home by anxious parents while the loud, vulgar exchanges reverberated off brick buildings. No weapons were sighted, but there was always that hint of violence.

Neighbors were not happy. The police were called. A squad car would roll up and the gang members dispersed. But they would be back. As would the drug deals and the fights.

Neighbors started talking.  More neighbors called the police. Regularly. Anytime they saw anything suspicious.

And the police would pay a visit. But always the gang members would end up occupying the park again.

Then one morning neighbors noticed a large imposing lock hanging on the closed gates to the park.  Hmm. They wondered.

But the lock was gone later in the morning and children could play as before.

At night though, through to morning hours, the lock appeared again. Each night. And every morning it would at sometime disappear.

The gang bangers seemed to get the idea. And the neighbors no longer had to call the police each night.

The neighborhood had a park for children again.

And the neighbors were grateful that the city had decided to shut the park every night. And open it again every morning.

But one morning someone noticed the lock being removed. Not the police! It was the next door neighbor who undid the lock, stuck it in her pocket, and shuttled back into her house. A bit later, she came out with her young children in tow to play in the park.

So the question is this: is this woman an activist or a vigilante? Does she have the right to close down a city park each night?