An old timer who once lived in this neighborhood that had been ruinedby HUD had a drink with us. Here's his story in his own words...
Old Timer: "Look at it this way. All of history is likethis. Why not America. Governments exist to lie to us.
[Old Timer: Pauses. Swallows a beer.]
Old Timer: "You know, when the Germans took the Jewsout to be killed in the fields, they didn't tell them they were doing that.If they did, the Jews would have fought back. So, they lied to them. Theysaid, 'It's okay. You'll be all right. We have good things ahead for you,'while they lined them up in front of those damned trenches where they couldsee their dead comrades all bloodied down there in that open grave and deadand shot them.
[Old Timer: Looks outside at the ruined city.]
Old Timer: "It is recorded in history books that thefew lucky survivors remember how they were looking at the bodies in theopen trench grave, and the Germans were still lying to them as they wereshooting them. 'It's all right,' they said to their falling victims. 'Wedon't mean to hurt you.'
[Old Timer: Swallows again. Looks out the window at his lostneighborhood.]
Old Timer: "That's HUD. That's how HUD works."
I Want A Bit Part in this Deadly LittleUrban Play
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Reada Scholarly Graduate Thesis on the Laclede Town Failure at the WashingtonUniversity Site...