Reasonable question

I'm an architecture school dropout, I've been looking at buildings all my life – the rare NYer who looks UP on the street. But now I feel bad about it because my interest is routinely misinterpreted and regarded with suspicion, understandably. People of color are not accustomed to seeing white people look at their houses with approval, much less longing. The other day, my partner, artist/architect Tim Seggerman, was walking in Ft. Greene and paused to consider some aspect of a 19th century building. Seeing him, a teenager leaning on the fence asked, disdainfully, "You wanna buy the school?"

Like I said, reasonable question.