I feel you, it’s almost like stress you get in wartime. Little Rock (both) and most of Central, South, and East Arkansas (Ark-Tenn-Miss area) have the same energy. It feels like the boogeyman is lurking in broad day to snatch you out of here. I got out of the Rock for four years in the military and came back with my young, dumb ass.
I finally got my family out again last August, but my oldest Son begged me to finish his senior year at NLR while staying behind with my Ma. I have to go back next month for his graduation and I dread it. Boring, depressing, hot ( laws and temp), and a bunch of young, hungry demons and wannabe confederates running around shooting shyt up. I’m trying to get in and out in 2 days. He’s bringing his ass , by force if necessary, with me to go to hvac school where I’m at in June, finally.
I’ve seen or been in the presence of too much havoc/death around LR and just got burned out. Google Little Rock, Pine Bluff, or Helena crime and you’ll see what I mean. It’s like a forgotten black hole on the map, nobody in the rest of the U.S. sees Arkansas, but it’s super active on both fronts (racism and street shyt). Everybody talks about the Chi or Compton, but Little Rock (#1 most violent city 200,000 and under) and Pine Bluff (#1 most violent city and metro in the US, period) are really fukked up. Don’t get caught lacking, if you pass through keep the thumper close....