Atlantic City

I have been watching the Wire, the HBO series about drugs, police and Baltimore. On one hand, I think its incredible, seriously good writing, amazing character list that keeps expanding, complex world. But I also hesitate to recommend it because it is rough in every way possible.

The second season is at the docks and deals with the plight of blue collar workers. The center of that world is Frank Sabotka who is the head of the union for the long-shoremen. He has watched the decline of the port and regularly can't get work for his son (Zig) or nephew (Nick). So here is the interesting part and the part that got me thinking. Frank is a working man. He shows no flash in cloths or vehicle. I haven't seen his house, but I doubt its much. But all around people are busting trying to survive ... its perhaps not abject poverty, but its on the borderline and might easily tumble downhill.

The other character is The Greek. He is into money and power and is running drugs and prostitutes into Baltimore. He needs a good way to do that and finds the desperate situation at the docks a good opportunity. He works out a deal with Frank to give him loads of cash to make "cans" disappear. What really happens is someone in the Greek gang picks them up and they get lost in the computer system. Then the Greek turns around and supplies the dealers on Westside Baltimore, among other things.

It all reminds me of the song by Springsteen.

Now I been lookin' for a job but it's hard to find
Down here it's just winners and losers and don't get caught on the wrong side of that line
Well I'm tired of comin' out on the losin' end
So honey last night I met this guy and I'm gonna do a little favor for him
Well I guess everything dies baby that's a fact
But maybe everything that dies someday comes back
Put your hair up nice and set up pretty and meet me tonight in Atlantic City

The same kind of dynamic is at play in the projects with people like D and Wallace.