I've taken family members and friends of the family (much older, of course) back into their old neighborhoods several months ago.

One, because I actually knew where the streets were, and two because I was the only person who had no reservations about going.

Watching their reaction to the condition of their old neighborhoods (those that were still intact) was heart-wrenching.

On the way down, they would talk about their old neighborhoods, people that they knew, the stores and markets that they shopped at, the movie theaters that they went to, the parks that they played.

After we got there, and looking at the burned out/boarded up homes and buildings along with the vacant lots where places once stood...silence.

We stayed there for a few minutes, after which,  they very quietly asked me to take them home. For some, this was very much out of character for them.

They never said another word until I dropped them off, and only then to thank me for the ride.

Their reactions during those trips spoke volumes to me right there about how much the city has  deteriorated.