Project: Projects

Memorial Day brought Ex-IB and I back from beach to the city. In search of some new beach shorts we decided to take a walk along the east side of Manhattan down to the seaport. Being a west side girl who grew up on the water, I've walked down and enjoyed the west side many times before, and expected the same lovely vibe on the east side. And althought it does have that lovely outter skirt for some stretches, the vibe is a little less brand new, overpriced luxury apartments, a little more sweaty shirtless men, riding bicyles with boom boxes strapped to them.

While looking at the east side's apartment buildings ExIB and I had this conversation:

Ex IB: You never hear about anyone living in the projects..

Me: What do you mean, a zillion people live in the projects.

Ex-IB: No, people we know.

Me: Well ..I mean... I don't think our friends... are ... the type of people to live in the projects.....

ExIB: Yeah but those apartments are probably cheap.

Me: But they're the PROJECTS!

Ex IB: Who cares, look they have terraces that overlook the water! I'd live there! I wonder how much a 1 bedroom costs.

Me: You can't! You'd need to qualify, you couldn't make over a certain amount of money.

Ex IB: Oh... Really? I didn't know that........ Well then YOU should live there! I can't believe you haven't thought of this before!

I did not know what level of insult, if any of all I should take to this, so my reaction took pause.

Me: First of all...... I would not qualify to live in the projects.

Ex IB: Are you sure?

Me: I AM POSITIVE!

Ex IB: I don't know....

Me: I do!

Ex IB: I don't see how these people could make less than you!

Me: THESE PEOPLE WORK AT MCDONALDS!

Ex IB: Well let's say you could.. you should then...

Me: You'd reaaaaally be alright with sending me home to the projects tonight?

Ex IB: Sure! Why not!

Me: What? Do you want someone to harass me or rape me.

Ex IB: Helen, people aren't raped just because it's the projects..

Me: So, me, little 5'2 me is going to walk into the projects in my green JCrew coat and my headbands and the people who live there will just be cool with it?

Ex IB: I don't see why not.



Ex IB thinks that my current apartment's heating system is antiquated and that the apartment generally lacks conveniences and so he rarely comes to my place. He is currently looking for an apartment for himself and disgregards any that do not have a dishwasher.


He's never going to visit me in the projects.