It’s 3AM.

My city sleeps.

But not all of it. Some people need to be awake at this time. Some don’t. Some have reason to be. Some don’t. Some of those reasons aren’t good reasons.

Traffic on the street out front is sparse. A vehicle goes by every twenty or so minutes. I don’t know where they’re going and I don’t want to know.

In the distance, not too far off, I hear sirens. This is a common thing in my city. The other night, around this time, I heard a gunshot. Minutes later sirens. A few more minutes and a helicopter circles overhead. At the wrong time of the day, if you’re lucky enough to be awake, the neighbourhood sounds like a scene from Apocalypse Now. You don’t read about these in the newspaper though, they don’t want you to think the city is as dangerous as it is. They want you to be asleep, even when you’re awake. You’re a better citizen when you’re oblivious.

There’s a documentary from the late 70’s called Some People Have To Suffer. Find it. Watch it. National Film Board. My city has always been this way.

It deals with corruption in the municipality. Bridgeview residents were promised functioning sewage systems in the 50’s and by ’78 they still didn’t have it. The city spent the money elsewhere. I think they were building up Newton at the time.

Someone is quoted as saying that in a city this big you could say that some people have to suffer for progress and maybe Bridgeview residents are those people. This is my city in a nutshell, welcome to Surrey, where some of you have to suffer and all of you likely will.

The city is bigger now. And it’s problems grow with it. Newton was promised more police and a safe neighbourhood years ago. The money kept not being there when it came time to deliver on promises.

A five minute drive away, a young girl had her head bashed in with a rock in a park. Outrage. Commentary, mostly from ignorant people who just wanted to capitalize on the tragedy to hear their own voices. Later, a girl was taken after getting off a bus, she was found murdered and dumped like garbage along the railroad tracks a couple minutes drive from here.

Eventually, a mom, who’s kid was playing sports at the community rec centre, was murdered a block away from the police office. If it were a quiet night they may have heard it happen.

Suddenly the city was ready to do something. To make it safe. To make you feel safe, even when you shouldn’t. Especially if you shouldn’t.

More police. Brighter streets. Everything is well lit now. Security patrols everywhere. Walking around the neighbourhood to make you feel better. Really, they’re a nuisance and they’re costing people money that could be better spent.

As I listen to these sirens I remember telling my friend about the documentary and how we need an updated one. This time it’s Newton residents who suffer for someone else’s progress. Bit of irony there. This time it isn’t over sewage though, it’s over proper filth; human filth. The worst kind.

I said the title should be: Some People Have To Suffer, But In Newton Some People Have To Die.

He remarked: “Some white women have to die.”

He’s not wrong.