In which the councilman from the 13th district tells the readers of Slate about the Los Angeles housing crunch, council chamber gadflies, the day's legislative agenda, office manager Sally's birthday and a round of playground hoops after work at the neighborhood elementary school.

The baskets are 10 feet high, with giant and very forgiving backboards. A couple of kids from the neighborhood start playing with a kickball at another hoop, and we invite them to join us instead. They are young, fifth-graders, so we split them up: Carlos plays on Steve's team and Matthew joins me. We play two games of two-on-two and one game of H-O-R-S-E. Matthew's third-grade brother, Justin, who can't quite throw a ball up to the basket yet, watches from the sidelines.

Talking to Carlos, I learn that his father also works at City Hall. I realize that Carlos Jr. is the son of a janitor I know, Carlos Sr., who has told me before that he lives in the neighborhood. I have an extra basketball at home, so I give Carlos my ball and walk home to dinner.

Earlier installments of Eric Garcetti's weeklong diary are at the same Slate link.