Bethel Grove Neighborhood Assoc.

On Labor day I was returning home from a walk.  I was headed south on Colonial when I picked up a young black male on the east side of the street at Quince.  As is the normal case with walkers in the morning I looked over to speak or just wave hi.  He was checking his watch or something.  A couple of more steps and this time he was looking back like he was expecting someone to drive up in a car.  I notice that he was not outpacing me so I looked over a couple of more times and each time he was looking for a car, tying his shoe, checking his arm for something . . . . I continued to walk but decided not to go home.  I turned west on Helene.  About halfway down the street I looked back and saw that he had crossed Colonial and was now crossing Helene.  A few more steps on my part, I looked back to see that he was crossing back across Helene.  At this point he started talking.  I wasn't sure it was him so I continued to walk.  He then turned toward me on Helene and was saying something, so I started walking in his direction -- I got in the street headed for the other side and he was on the sidewalk.  He finally asked if I knew where Willow was.  I told him to go back up to Colonial and walk to the end.  He asked for a shortcut to Willow & Perkins.  I told him to continue down Helene, turn left and then to follow that street to Perkins and make a left.  He continued to walk on (I never stopped going in the other direction) and proceeded to tell me that I looked good and didn't "need" to be walking.  Then he asked if I was married.  I continued on.  I made sure he was out of sight and went around the corner making sure he was not in sight when I went into the house.  A few minutes later I did see him return up Helene headed back east.  As I did not make it out of the house in time, I did not see where he went.  I have not noticed him around since.  I did warn a friend of mine who generally walks in the mornings as well.  As far as description I'm afraid I don't have very much.  He was a black male, prob between 19 - mid twenties, average height- prob between 5'8" - 6"1", wearing white tshirt, long tan shorts and tennis shoes. Hair short but not shaved or really close to scalp.  Haven't noticed him around the neighborhood since. The time was about 7 - 7:15 am (I remembered I'd checked my watch before I noticed him and check my clock when I got into the house because I thought it was very odd that he'd be up and out at that time of the morning - especially on a holiday.

Well, we have places  Fellowship Memphis  to thank for things like this.  They have a lease - or so they say- with the City school board to hold church service in Colonial Acres Middle School and are advertising on their web site- directions to Colonial acres, etc, so forth inviting people who do not belong here into out neighborhood. So, aside from violating our constitution- separation of church and state- they are using a government building - that we all paid for with our taxes- to hold their church services. 

And White Station Baptist is not helping either. With an Open door policy for anyone in the city to use their facilities, they are encouraging  and providing speeders, thugs, and thieves with an excuse to come into our area.

So everyone, please stay alert and alert the police to any odd activity and let's get these idiots out of our neighborhood!