This has been a really crazy time to live in Philadelphia. The Phillies won the World Series and the election happened. Outside the city, that probably meant that people sat in front of the TV a lot, maybe called a friend or two with the news and looked at online articles. In the city, it meant that everyone took to the streets in a chaotic mob.

It started when the Phillies won the game that got them to the World Series. As I walked out of my building (admittedly not even knowing that there was a game on) the game must have ended and suddenly there was a rush of people coming out of every building and running around in the streets. People were flocking to my street corner from blocks away, looking for other people to celebrate with. Cars beeped their horns, police stood by to make sure the mob didn’t take a turn from joyful to destructive. For the next two hours people chanted, ran back and forth across the street and gave each other hugs and high fives.

When the Phillies won the World Series, it was even crazier. People flooded the streets, all running to the Center City/ City Hall area. I walked part of the way but it’s pretty far so I turned back after awhile. From what I’ve heard/ seen in videos is that some people went from a friendly celebration (with thousands of other people) in the street to suddenly having a destructive nature. Cars were overturned, trash fires were lit in the street, street lights were unhinged and torn down, a couple windows were accidentally broken with bottles, after which people yelled “free stuff!” and looted the store. Police got a handle on every situation that started, but it still looked a little like a war zone down there and I’m sure the people who had property damaged were a little less thrilled about the Phillies. Here is a video of that night:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNpCry3grh4

On election day there was an excited hum throughout the city. A lot of classes were canceled so that people could go out and vote/volunteer. There were about 3 helicopters circling above to get footage of election lines, but movies have made me associate helicopters with city evacuations and monsters so it gave me a sense of urgency. That night, when Obama was announced as the next President of the United States, there was another mass movement to the streets. This time, it didn’t seem to concentrate in any one area. There were smaller mobs all over the city yelling “OBAMA!” and “YES WE DID!” People were crying, calling people on their phones, hugging each other. Cars all around the city were honking their horns. Standing outside there was a loud roar all around the city of people celebrating. This celebration didn’t seem to get out of hand like the Phillies one did.