The neighborhood was old, but had mostly escaped the decay of other neighborhoods its age. “Established” is how a realtor would describe it; streets lined with mostly two-story homes set on compact foundations, situated squarely on efficient lots with driveways that crowded property lines. Built in the era of the Kennedys, Martin Luther King, Jr., and The Beatles, most of the homes featured large front porches with sturdy railings and deep overhangs. Mature trees anchored neatly-mowed lawns. Occasionally a picket fence, either white or off-white, divided the grass from the sidewalks that ran along both sides of Elm Street.
The neighborhood was old, The kid rolled through the neighborhood just before dawn on his beach cruiser bike—one speed, heavy and stable—perfect for his needs. He carri
