Got Bail?

I guess I have been somewhat sheltered living and playing along the coast of California. It's just like you see on TV and in the movies; sun, beaches, nice friendly artsy people, fine dining, killer clubs, world class sporting events, etc. This is the California that the Beach Boys packaged and shared with the world. It's the California I know and love. Reality check, gut check, coat check, check your attitude at the door. The cosmopolitan safety net provided by the bay area has left me unprepared for life in my new weekday hometown. I don't know when I became a snob. Probably when I started using the personal shopping services at both Macy's and Nordstrom's. Anywho culture shock hit hard last week. Until recently I only had frames of reference Sacramento. The first came from watching Bonanza as a kid. Someone was always running off to Sacramento to see the governor. The other also comes from television since the Bradford family lived in Sacramento (Eight is Enough).

The Ponderosa and cowboys made me think of the wild west. A lawless feel but a city trying to become "civilized". By the time the Bradford's moved in the city was an any town with palm trees and good natured homeless people who taught us the meaning of Christmas. I will expand more about the old west flavor that still permeates the area but first I have not seen one homeless person in the city. It's kind of creepy. I mean the downtown is the perfect mix of abandoned, burned out, busted up storefronts and flophouse buildings. No real businesses just municipal offices, courts and bail bonds. Oh yeah a really nifty space age jail too. I have not seen one panhandler, bag lady, or shopping cart can man either. These characters live in most cities and towns except Sacramento.

The answer eventually became clear once took inventory of the Police vehicles. Every law enforcement agency that has any jurisdiction in Sacramento county, city, towns, plus state and federal all have offices in the downtown grid. This is not a good place if you are living either outside or near the edge of the law. Or perhaps it's the best place to live since I mistook the jail for a new hotel. I got some fierce looks when I asked about the weekly rates. Try and park in this city, all the spaces are reserved for some court or cop shop. I get to park in the mud flats by the railroad tracks for only $6 a day while the people too stupid to get out of jury duty get all the prime spots. Did I type that out loud? See when did this snob stuff start?

I guess I am just lucky in some respects. While I do moan about the past sometimes, who doesn't, my family did manage to get me and all my siblings though college and out into a meaningful life. No silver spoon mind you but enough stability and good work ethic to make me not want to want. I want to work and make a contribution and yes reap the rewards. I just don't know how people support families with jobs that don't require higher education or technical expertise. I know a lot of people do and this brings me back to my reality check. You can live reasonably well on a modest income anywhere except the bay area. I forget sometimes. So now that I am removed from the coast and forced to once again move among the common folk (I am kidding) I see a different California. It's like a lot of other places I lived Louisville, Hackensack, even Concord, New Hampshire. Normal people leading normal lives. When I drove into downtown for the first time I was struck by the huge number of Bail Bond offices. I lost count after two blocks. The pictures I am using here were taken by just walking around the block at lunch. Each office is just a bit different and it seems they cater to different types of clients.

First up is my personal favorite, Aladdin Bail Bonds. They are open 24 hours and while the Arabic name may throw you, they have decorated with lot's red white and blue. We help American criminals! The office is bright and clean with a play area for the kids.

If you are just looking for plain old fashioned Bail it doesn't get any simpler than Bail. That's it, Bail. No newspapers or coffee, no confusion. The old style sign is a perfect touch to this gem.

American Bail Bonds has a mobile claims unit.

Tony and Tony compete for your business. Comparison shopping at it's best.

Apparently there is enough business in this town to keep all these shops going. The first photograph on this page is of the jail I thought was a hotel. It's fricken' huge. If you look close you can see the orange jumpsuits up in the windows. This is still the wild west indeed. They must bus prisoners in from poor jails because I can't imagine that there is a local need for that much jail. It took me 20 minutes to find a grocery store in this hayseed town so where do all the prisoners come from? Down snob, I must stop this before I get a local hillbilly, out on bail, ass kicking. In case you were wondering the second building pictured is my new building. It houses all the servers for the County of Sacramento and the Sheriff. You can't take a leak without swiping a card through a series locked doors and signing in with an escort. I hope you all have greater appreciation of Sacramento, I know I do.