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Meet Your Neighbors : Episode 9
By Inquisigal | June 18, 2008
Welcome back to “Meet Your Neighbors,” a weekly feature on the Bed Stuy blog that serves to make the introductions between you, our readers, and other people who live or work in Bedford Stuyvesant.
I always like to indulge my inner dilettante every now and then, so last weekend I made it a point to check out the Bed-Stuy Pet Stuy in Fulton Park. I ask you: what could be finer on a sweltering hot Saturday afternoon than watching dogs suffer through the discomfort and humiliation of their owners dressing them up like a ballerina or a Hell’s Angel? Ok, truth be told, the dogs all seemed perfectly cool with the human additions to their wardrobes, and even regaled the crowd with a few tricks involving hula hoops. Prizes were given, water bowls were slurped, and everyone good-naturedly channeled the spirit of late 1980’s-era David Letterman, including Pet Stuy organizer, Madeline Smith. I noticed a particularly natty canine in a soccer outfit being put through his paces by his young owners, so I made their acquaintance, and they were happy to be put through their own paces with the “Meet Your Neighbors” questionnaire. Ready to meet some new neighbors?
Names: Joy Trouchen and Jason Jeffrey
Live: Putnam between Marcus Garvey and Throop
Ages: Joy: 23yrs., Jason: 25 yrs.
Born: We were both born in Trinidad and Tobago.
Cultural or ethnic heritage: We are African American.
How much do you feel like your cultural or ethnic background defines or influences your identity?: Joy: A good bit, because I identify with people in my culture. I don’t let it hold me back when it comes to new experiences. Jason: It does not bother me.
Years lived in Bed-Stuy: 1 year.
What made you decide to move to Bed-Stuy?: The high ceilings in the brownstones and the atmosphere of the people in the neighborhood.
Where else have you lived during your lifetime?: Jason: I lived in East New York. Joy: I lived in East Flatbush.
Renter or home owner?: We rent.
Lives with: We live together with our dog, Gizmo.
What is important to you about your individual home and/or the community you live in?: The people, atmosphere, activities, and the friendliness of everyone that bought us to Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn.
Do you participate in community events?: Yes, we just did the Bed-Stuy Pet Stuy and we also belong to our block association.
What do you do for a living?: Jason: I am a Trainer at JP Morgan Chase. Joy: I’m a Broker Service associate at Fidelity Investments.
Do you enjoy what you do for work, or no?: Joy: I enjoy my job because of my co-workers, as well as all the many things I have learned about the financial services area. Jason: Yes, I enjoy training employees and taking them to the next step.
Are there any things you don’t care for in your job, or is there a “dream job” you would like besides your current job?: Joy: I definitely don’t enjoy the long hours. Jason: I would love to be a fashion designer.
What are some of your favorite hobbies or interests?: Jason: Soccer, skateboarding, and hanging out with Joy. Joy: I like to relax at home and enjoy a good movie, or just hang out with my friends. I’m also very involved with various community services.
What is your most dreaded household chore?: Joy: Cooking, because it’s too hot and it takes too long to make certain meals. Jason: Cleaning the bathroom, because I just don’t like doing it.
What is your favorite household chore?: Jason: Cleaning the TV because it looks pretty afterwards. Joy: Nothing, I hate chores.
What is one of your favorite books, movies or music artists?: Jason: Movies - Menace II Society and Juice. Joy: Books - Tuesdays with Morrie, The Five People you Meet in Heaven and For One More Day, all by Mitch Albom. I highly recommend all his books, especially the first one. My favorite movie is Edward Scissorhands, I also enjoy American Beauty, Pan’s Labyrinth, 300…etc. My favorite music artist would have to be hands down Kanye West, then Lupe Fiasco, John Legend and Cold Play.
What do you like best about living in Brooklyn and/or Bed Stuy?: Jason and Joy: The friendly atmosphere, the convenience of things that we need.
Are there any businesses or services that your part of the neighborhood is lacking?: Jason and Joy: We wish that majority of the stores were closer to where we live.
As relative newcomers to the neighborhood, how have you been treated by your neighbors, or the community at large?: Jason and Joy: With open arms.
Do you feel like Bed-Stuy is experiencing “gentrification”?: Jason and Joy: Nope.
Are you religious, and if yes, do you attend local worship services?: Joy: I am Catholic, and I attend St. Matthews Roman Catholic Church on Eastern Parkway and Utica Avenue. Jason: I attend Brooklyn Tabernacle.
How does your religion affect your life or your identity?: Jason and Joy: With the help of our faith and God we try to do the right things, as well as be giving and understanding.
Is there anything in particular that you would like to say to the neighbors who will be reading about you?: Yes, we’d like to share this poem. It’s titled Happiness and was written by Raymond Carver:
So early it’s still almost dark out.
I’m near the window with coffee,
and the usual early morning stuff
that passes for thought.
When I see the boy and his friend
walking up the road
to deliver the newspaper.
They wear caps and sweaters,
and one boy has a bag over his shoulder.
They are so happy
they aren’t saying anything, these boys.
I think if they could, they would take
each other’s arm.
It’s early in the morning,
and they are doing this thing together.
They come on, slowly.
The sky is taking on light,
though the moon still hangs pale over the water.
Such beauty that for a minute
death and ambition, even love,
doesn’t enter into this.
Happiness. It comes on
unexpectedly. And goes beyond, really,
any early morning talk about it.
Photography by Bed Stuy resident and photographer Rosie McCobb. To see more of Rosie’s work, click here:www.pbase.com/mccobb1969
June 18th, 2008 at 8:57 pm
wow - i marvel at the beautiful human simplicity of this feature. best read on the web. thanks again, bsb…
great to meet ya’ll, neighbors.
much peace
June 19th, 2008 at 12:52 pm
beautiful poem.
June 19th, 2008 at 9:59 pm
So nice to meet you!! And many thanks for being so open in introducing yourself to strangers..that’s what I love about bed-stuy. Great to “meet” you over the web and if I see you I’ll introduce myself in person. Super blog feature - I love this - thank you!
June 20th, 2008 at 12:39 pm
Those are our neighbors!!! Nice to read about them! Keep these coming :-D!