I got my Masters in living in Dangerous City Life in St. Louis in the summer of 1960. I had gone to work with a major company with a training center in St.Louis after being graduated. The company provided a furnished apartment for new hires/trainees in the downtown. The safety officer gave us lessons of what/who to avoid after dark and on weekends. We laughed at him in private. After a couple of shootings and robberies, we didn’t laugh anymore.
I had my parents send me my 22 semi auto pistol. I kept it in a sachel/brief case in the day and wore it at night if I went out.
I dated another employee, and she lived in East St. Louis. She would not allow me to pick her up or drop her of after dark for my safety.
Later I became friends with the safety officer, a retired Marine. He tried to teach all of us to be aware of our surroundings and to beware of others who might be dangerous.
He was my Phd in surviving in big cities by being aware of who/what was around you. Also, what times of the day were stupid times to be out as a single white guy on the street.
He said the 22 pistol was the 1 murder weapon for the mafia.
He taught me and others to have a couple of birdshot as the first rounds and then hollow points. Also, to carry a spare clip with hollow points.
I’m right handed and my left eye is my dominant eye. On a firing range he taught me to shoot with both eyes open, with a pistol, rifle or shotgun. Thanks to him, I am an excellent shot with pistol, rifle and shooting trap/skeet or whatever.
He gave great advice on how to check out a future apartment/condo/home/office.
How to check it out at noon, 2 pm, 5 ish and at night. During the work week and during the week end. I have used his advice for decades and several moves.
So , St Louis was starting to go to hell back in 1960! One can only imagine how much like a 3rd world $**thole it is now.
What makes StL so “interesting” is that very safe areas are just a couple of blocks away from no-go zones. Going to a Cardinal’s game, my car’s GPS sent me across the river to East StL. By the time I got back across the river, I was maybe four or five blocks north of where the Rams used to play, maybe 15 blocks from Bush Stadium. Not a good area/neighborhood at all.
There’s always a very heavy police presence when the Cardinals play and I don’t think they’re all there for traffic control.