The tenth day of Christmas: ...their anonymous presence known

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What do I find today? Someone has left two very fancy embroidered couch pillows. A bag of sandwiches and prepared food from Whole Foods. And a nicely packaged chicken wrap. I have to wonder what is in the minds of people when they make these offerings.

As for our offerings, a day later, the votive candle is still burning. Remainders of communion bread still there, the juice gone. As are about half the cups of hot cider. And the “Box of Joe” has been drained. And all the gift bags are gone. The kings have made their anonymous presence known.

I have a little extra time and 86th Street is looking pretty scruffy so I decide to deal with what’s on our side of the street. Just the big stuff for now. Then I go back and clear everything off the steps. I leave the Kings on the door where they’ll stay until their day. I'll light the candle again on the final day as well. And I leave one crown on the door.

My biggest concern, my biggest priority is heat. How do we get it back on? The negotiations with Landmarks West! and Friends of West-Park have hit a snag. As I knew they would. How do we use the political process to move beyond politics to cooperation? What’s the key? Do the kings have one more gift to bring?