We have friends that moved to a small town in western PA. Their neighborhood has 2 "block" parties a year. The kids are allowed to play hide and seek in anyones yard and they are watched. It's a closeknit neighborhood that's reminiscent of our childhood.
When I was a teenager, I used to walk (and later drive) all over town. When I was drinking, I used to go to a 24-hour black restaurant (believe it was called The Spot)on Dorr Street to eat ,after the bars closed, on occasion. I never had one bit of trouble. God, just realized...I can count the 24-hour restaurants here pretty much on my two hands now. Remember when there was one on practically every block? Just about everything's gone but the big chains, now. Drive-ins, downtown theatres, most small local business, everything.