Wor, what is it good for?

I live in a small town in south central Ohio. We do not have a bad crime problem here, although there is some minor drug trafficking, and some rednecks fighting in bars, for the most part life in my small town is pretty safe and quiet. We do not have street gangs, well, that is what I thought anyway. Several months ago, graffiti started showing up on buildings around town. All of it appeared overnight, indicating that some kids with a can of spray paint were out on a spree. Over a period of a few days, I noticed the letter "W" in red paint, scrawled on dumpsters, sides of buildings, even my own garage got defaced with a scarlet "W". Of course I had no idea what the "W" may have stood for at the time. Maybe "Warlocks" or "Wizards" maybe "William". The graffiti looked similar to gang tags. I once lived in a neighborhood in East San Diego, where Hispanic gangs would "tag" their territory with brightly painted and stylelized logos and iconography. While most was incomprehensible, there were occasional works of art on some overpass that a gringo could understand. The markings eventually would get covered over with some rival gangs signature indicating a turf war, or maybe just competition for the available wall space.


I had never seen gang tags in Circleville, Ohio. That is until the mysterious "W" made it's appearance. One day after the graffiti showed up, I was driving past the abandoned feed mill across from my home. There, emblazoned across a large street facing wall was the now familiar "W" followed by a bold paint scrawl that read "Worriers" I did a double take to make sure I read correctly. It said in plain English, albeit less than straight, "Worriers". I started laughing, I mean this was just rich. Our local gang was the "Worriers". Later that evening I drove my girlfriend past the defaced building and she laughed too. We didn't get a photo that day, and I really wish I had because the next morning, workers that had been converting part of the feed mill into a recycling center painted over the offending tag.


I have the "W" on my garage still, and I get a chuckle each time I see it. I am sure the spelling was supposed to be "Warriors" but these kids were obviously hooked on something other than phonics. The "Warriors" might have instilled some fear and respect into rival gang members entering their turf, however I find it difficult to believe anyone would give a thought to invading the "Worriers" territory.

I can hear it now:
"..Come on Jim, lets go do crimes.."
"..Ok! Wait, Billy, what if we get caught, what if my mom finds out.."
"..Oh you are right Jim, lets stay home and play Uno instead.."
Or from the Circleville chapter of the "blood red crippled gangtas".
"Lets go to the south side and bust some heads"
"Isn't that the'Worriers' turf?"
"Yeah but they are worried about something and unlikely to give us any trouble."

Poor, poor white kids from rural central Ohio, trying to find their identity, and gain acceptance in society by forming a street gang in the only city they know. Outcast from their nice soft beds, in nice suburban homes. Alienated from society for all the usual reasons, like access to good schools, parents who supply three square meals a day and an allowance for spray paint. You know the usual reasons to turn to gang life.

Then there is the spelling issue, perhaps a rival gang could be called the "Websters" or the "Oxford Unabridged" and go about correcting the misspelled gang tags. A big red check mark with the correct spelling next to it.

Apparently I live deep in the heart of "Worriers" territory. Somehow, I am not all that worried.