Dirty Laundry

Dirty Laundry

Dirty laundry….such a descriptive statement. I mean really, who among us doesn’t have a bit of dirty laundry? I have my own fair share but because I am the author of this story, I get to choose not to air mine. But trust me, it is there. Dirty laundry will always be a natural progression in life. Things get dirty and then things get clean. So how does this all relate to Benson you might ask? Well, let me tell you.
In 1994 Benson had their “dirty laundry” aired. We had trouble in town. We had crime and degradation occurring. For me, 1994 and some years following, I intimately lived with the knowledge that bad things were happening around me. Benson’s dirty laundry was exposed and some people never thought our laundry would be clean again.
And, if I am to be totally honest, some of that misguided opinion crept into the back of my mind last week. I know deep in my heart that Benson has transformed. I know that our dirty laundry is clean again. I know Benson is as safe as any community in Omaha…..but….just a teensy bit of doubt seemed to be lingering. Would there be trouble during the concert? Would some of the troubled element show up? I don’t worry about whether I will be safe, I know how to protect myself. But, I was planning on bringing my 3 year old grandson and what if….someone bad showed up. Now I had someone else to think about.
I hated feeling this way. I know this is the feeling some people have about Benson and it is so wrong. This is the stereotype that I have been fighting against for all these years and now… it’s crept into my own mind?? How could this happen. I knew I had to go to the concert and I prayed that all would go well. Benson needed a very public success story and boy did we get it! The concert was fantastic!
We had the eclectic bunch of people show up that makes Benson so great. We had elderly, families, singles, and everything in between. We had a rainbow of human colors intermixing and enjoying each other’s company along with the outstanding music! The name of the band – The Confidentials….how apropos for the night. My confidence had wavered slightly and the Confidentials reinforced it!
So is Benson perfect….no. Is Benson awesome….damn straight it is! Do we have problems….you bet. But, we are just like every other neighborhood in Omaha. We have “stuff.” It just so happens that our “stuff” happens to be some of the best stuff in Omaha! I love Benson!
Bridget Fitzpatrick
p.s. Many thanks to the Benson Neighborhood Association, the Benson Business Leaders, Great Western Bank and the Omaha Police Department!