The Circus, like the rest of the block is in a downward spiral

Got in town for business yesterday and went to the block last night around 9. As soon as I turned onto the block I was struck by the changes from just a few months ago. There were very few white faces, and most of either color looked strung out on heroin or hyper on coke. And that was just outside the clubs. Worst of all, my favorite bar of all times (The Midway) had closed. I was told that jimmie (who I think owns the liquor license) just got tired of running a bar in a world that while nice during the day, was falling victim to all the thugs outside a night. When on the block my usual pattern was to start a the Midway, have a drink, go to one of the clubs, come back to the Midway...and repeat. It was also a place you could watch the game and actually talk to some folks. But I suspect all of that is now gone...probably forever.

My last stop was the Circus Bar. It used to have the reputation of being the worst bar on the block, both from the point of view of the dancers and the customers. Most of the dancers you had seen a year or two earlier working up the street at a nicer club. As a customer it was usually my last stop...when I had had enough to drink to ignore all the bad things about it.

Last night there were maybe 4 or 5 dancers working along with the night shift bartenders that have been working there for years. I bought a couple of drinks and eventually ended the night with some girl coming back to my room. I should have expected, but I've been coming to the block for years and didn't see it coming. She took what I had to give her and then went outside to 'smoke a cigarette'. Then she disappeared. Well her loss and mine. Losing a little bit of money is not that big of a problem I guess. She probably needs it more than me. (Even if what she needs it for is drugs, that is a real need once you're addicted.)