Everything happens because of relationships

6/2

Move the shopping cart back to the city trash basket. Again. How many days will this  go on? Feels like a very slow dance.

A single empty mini brandy bottle. 

Get to the church following a meeting to strategize the restoration of the exterior. Target date? 2023. I will be 73 years old. The stabilization, however, can be done in two months. 

I drag fans to create a wind tunnel through the basement, dry out any remaining dampness. Last night’s crew, Luis in charge, removed all of the mold. That is a  victory. The fans crank up, start to blow.

The Con Ed guy arrives to read the meters. I take him down to the now drier basement to make his readings. Back in the office, the other George has arrived, Bible in hand, looking for a noontime service. I tell him we’re not there yet. He wants to know how many come to worship. Twenty to thirty, I tell him. That’s good, he says. Intimate. You have to tell them their assignments, what they need to do. . And then you will grow, he says. 

Piano Dan has come and is hard at work tuning. A Spanish woman comes looking for food. Mike Dominguez the boxer comes in, gloves strung over his shoulder. Wants to know why we haven’t followed up with him. Ready to start training kids . Says he’s going to train Matt Damon.

So it looks like Andre’s story and the concert will be in the New Yorker. They did their get acquainted interview with him yesterday,more to follow. All happened because of a soccer relationship. Everything happens because of relationships.

Soon Lily and Alma and Luis and Mandy have arrived for another round of cleaning. It’s amazing what they have accomplished. They are 5th generation members of this church. I’m in Mc Alpin looking through boxes for the original Presbyterians Today magazine article about the church and its work at Ground Zero with the center spread picture. It’s hot and sweaty up there.  A young Japanese dancer comes to check out sound  for tomorrow night’s concert. We try the old boom box. That’s all we’ve got. Now. 

Around midnight, I go to check the dead bolt. Lock it. Everything is quiet.