I didn't want to use the term "redneck." But...okay?
I know these people. I've even tried to help them out when they were really getting down there, more than once. I've given them a little money, I had the husband come over to do some handy-man work in my house (he was drunk as a skunk, started cursing and scared the hell out my wife), I've dealt with these people quite a lot since we bought this house.
They have guns. They smoke pot. They get drunk. Sometimes the cops show up.
All I can say is...you should see how they live. They have three broken down cars sitting in their back yard and a couple more in their driveway. Welcome to the old south.
The thing is that this is a pretty nice street in a pretty nice neighborhood. But...
I don't mean to sound like I'm standing in judgement of these people, but...man.
Yeah, my heart goes out to this really cool kid who wants so much to be a drummer. Maybe this goes beyond anything that can really be addressed on this forum. All I know is that I really feel for the kid.
The strongest barrier? I'm not like them. My wife is a foreigner. They have nothing resembling an education. Yes, I find them rather scary. They're from a long line of people just like them. Tobacco road and all that. Very southern. And it kills me to see this smart kid, who really wants to be a drummer, having to deal with all that.