Badge of... Honor?

December 2006- I was at a rehearsal for an upcoming live theatre performance produced by viBe Theater and starring us brilliant high school girls. That day, we had a young lady observing us and maybe "possibly" joining us, which in the future she never did. Anyway, our vibrant leaders introduced us to her. I don't remember her name; I just remember she was blond, tall, and a bit chunky. When they said she lives in New York City, she held two fingers (index and middle) and claimed her Upper East Side existence. It was like she had to make a reference to her location or else it would've been unrealistic of her living in Manhattan. Whatever. No one praised her for it. It's not like she lived next to Gossip Girl or something.

May 2008- I visited a church on 55th Street and was conversating with the people around me. I told a girl (woman, lady) where I live and again, I saw that same position of fingers. She held it high and said she lived in Sixty-Something Street and Whatever Avenue. I guess she had to prove to me that she lived in a more refined area than me, thus pushing the forever (hopefully ending) stereotype.

Do those fingers prove something? It's like a badge or a pledge of honor to symbolize their social status and just by displaying them, it'll make me inferior. Well, I'm from the Bronx. The Bronx has a stereotype of being a dangerous place. Does this mean my badge is sticking my middle finger? That'll prove my location.

"Hey, where do you live, Tatiana?"

I quickly point my middle finger in her face and say, "The Bronx. Booyah!"

It may dissolve those Manhattan fingers. What have they got to prove? Nothing. Most of the badge promoting pushers aren't from this city. I'll probably one day move out of this city and live somewhere peaceful, like the Adirondacks. I want to escape the conflict of this terrible stereotype and have people finally see me as a gentle spirit and not allow it to corrupt based on my hometown. Please, people, the Bronx is a beautiful place!