Condos, COVID vaccines, and the arc of justice

In February, I wrote about my frustrating quest to buy a condo. Well, dear readers, I think I’ve finally found one. I don’t want to jinx it, but an offer was made and accepted, earnest money was wired, an inspection was completed, and now we’re in the due diligence period.

The light and bright condo is on a top floor in the heart of Midtown. The Fox Theatre is a few blocks away, while Piedmont Park is a short stroll in the other direction. In between is a fantastic assortment of shops and restaurants, so I’m looking forward to parking my car and walking everywhere.

Editor’s Letter

has been editor of Atlanta Intown for almost two decades. He’s also an award-winning poet and novelist.

collin@AtlantaIntownPaper.com

I had the heartbreak of losing two other condos I really loved to higher bids. After five months of going to see condos and townhomes every single weekend (and sometimes during the week), I was about to renew my lease and give up. Hat tip to BFF Karen Head who spotted the Midtown listing a mere hour after it appeared online and texted me the link and to my agent Connor Thompson with EXP Realty, who has the patience of a saint. I had no idea how picky I truly am until this homebuying adventure began.

I also got my COVID-19 vaccine during the same time period. I felt incredibly lucky to book an appointment for the Johnson & Johnson one-dose until two weeks later when it was paused due to blood clot issues. Yikes!

I felt like I’d been hit by a bus for around 36 hours, my arm was sore and accompanied by a rash, but the side-effects lifted quickly and now I’ve joined the inoculated ranks. I’m hoping, in the very near future, I can finally ditch the damnable mask, interact at less distance, and never see a plexiglass divider ever again.

Atlanta’s arts community is also excited about more vaccinations as you’ll see in this month’s triumphant cover story, “The Arts Are Back!” Yes, live music, shows, and events. There’s still going to be some social distancing, mask requirements, and many of the events are being held outdoors, but I’m quite all right with that. I never thought I’d be sick of streaming, but when I looped back to re-watching old “X-Files” episodes, I knew my entertainment value needed a serious recalibration. I’m giddy with the thought of walking down Peachtree from my new condo to see “Hamilton” at the Fabulous Fox.

On a more somber note, I wanted to take a moment to acknowledge the passing of two people who were close to Atlanta Intown. Our former advertising executive David Burleson passed away in February. He was with Intown for more than a decade and his big personality and drive helped make Intown a success.

We also lost Susan Tucker, the longtime owner of Tucker & Associates Public Relations and Advertising in April. Susan was in the business for nearly 50 years and, as an editor, I appreciated her attention to detail in pitching stories and knowing just what our readers might want. Both David and Susan will be greatly missed by all of us who knew them.

Finally, as we were sending this issue to the printer, former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was found guilty of all charges in last spring’s murder of George Floyd. There was a momentary, collective releasing of breath as Chauvin was held accountable for his actions.

It was hard to describe the court win as “justice,” as the specter of injustice in the cases of Breonna Taylor, Trayvon Martin, Sandra Bland, Rayshard Brooks, and so many others still hang heavy in the air. And now 13-year-old Adam Toledo, who was shot in Chicago with his hands in the air, becomes the latest youth to die in a confrontation with police.

As Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” Right now, we’re still in the curve.