Where the wild things were

At the last place I worked in Boston, on Boylston St. at Copley Square, we had a public alley behind the building. We were on the second floor.

Every so often my co-worker, who sat at the windows facing the alley, would call my attention to some "excitement" or the other going on out there.

First there were the hookers.

The fire escape of the building opposite was a favorite place for two women to touch up their makeup and, you know, change their clothes. This involved a lot of nudity.

Why is it when people look around to see if anyone is watching, they never look up?

Then there was the knife fight. Two groups of young men got into some kind of beef - I think involving someone's cardboard box/storehouse of personal possessions. I was banging on our window (closed) yelling, "HEY! HEY!" much to the amusement of the other people in the office.

This was the Back Bay; hookers and gangs are not supposed to be part of the equation in the Back Bay. But wait - where is all the money concentrated in Boston?

Another reason I am not welcoming Karp and his upscale plans with open arms.