“At dark ,shadowy interections, I could cross in front of a car stopped at a traffic light and elicit the thunk, thunk, thunk, thunk of the driver - black, white, male, or female - hammering down the door locks.” 

I chose this quote because I have done this as a driver.  I’m from a very rural area where everyone knows everyone and when we travel to a large city, I feel I don’t trust anyone.  Hence, I may overreact and act with caution.  I couldn’t imagine being the pedestrian walking by and hearing the thunk, knowing that I may look dangerous.  This quote is important to the essay in that it continues to talk about the different forms of discrimination whether it be by race, gender, or homelessness or not. 

“It was in the echo of that terrified woman’s footfalls that I first began to know the unwieldy inheritance I’d come into - the ability to alter public space in ugly ways.”

I believe this is the thesis statement because the essay tells of the different situations the author encounters during his late night walks, throughout the essay.

“It is not altogether clear to me how I reached the ripe old age of twenty-two without being conscious of the lethality nighttime pedestrians attributed to me.” 

Here the author is stating that he is aware of the situations associated with his race and his late night walks.