The Decline of Middle TN

Everyone has heard about the decline of Western Civilization. I've been hearing about it from my dad for as long as I've been able to comprehend what it means. But I've never really understood what it meant until this past Sunday 5/28/06. Let's go back in time:

I live in a somewhat upscale area of Middle TN. I'd prefer to call it Nouveau Riche. I had 2 teens from church & my 2 1/2 year old daughter piled into my Blue Toyota Matrix (a.k.a. Mommy Car). We had to stop and get gas on the way to my house because my tank was below 1/4 which was actually unusually low for me. I stopped at the same gas station I have been patronizing for the past 10 years. Imagine my surprise when I look to my left (gas tank's on the driver's side) and the guy at the pump next to me is urinating. I don't mean that I'm at this pump & he's at that pump. I mean I'm on this side & he's on that side. I could see the color of the stream & the froth as it hit the ground. Mmmm.

Not what I expect to see when I'm in my Sunday mostly-best on my way home from church in a pretty decent part of North Nashville.

What will my daughter see when she's driving in 13 years?