Neighbourhood

Coming home this evening stepping off the emptying 341 bus into the past-midnight street I realised that the now familiar streets, paving stones, buildings, people were no longer scary as they once were. I followed an elderly lady along the street in her baige mac and black hat to the unoffical crossing (place where everyone crosses but no actual pedestrian crossing exists) and crossed into my road. A quiet road, well lit. Familiar cars. Privet hedges, scrappy front gardens, ricketing low-rise fencing. Familiarity promotes feeling of safety. The known nooks and crannies no longer scary.

I've forgotten the fear I once had sitting at the bus stop late at night before I had moved in.