Number four

Oakland is the fourth most dangerous city in the United States. We lost out to Detroit, St. Louis, and Flint, Mich. Not exactly something to be proud of.

Today -- the same day the rankings were announced -- a close friend and neighbor was mugged within a few blocks of her (and my) apartment. At noon. In what is regarded a 'nice neighborhood.' But then, Oakland is in the midst of a crime wave. Of course, I had no longer felt safe in my neighborhood after dark, but I did think it was pretty secure during the day. Ironically, another acquaintance had e-mailed her the article about Oakland's crime ranking before she took her walk this morning.

The mugging was unsuccessful, by which I mean my friend wasn't robbed. My friend, a tough city girl, was too angry to do the rational thing (give up her bag), and argued with the would-be mugger, even saying she was going to kill him. She says he was about 15, and threatened her with a gun that was probably just a fist in his pocket. She also says he hit her a couple times, but not that hard.

The mugging was successful, though, in scaring my friend. And in reminding all of us how vulnerable we are in the fourth most dangerous city.