If you take more than you give, the whole wheel stops

8/17/11

To church after breakfast meeting with Katherine and Eleanor to discuss and plan a falls series on the PBS movie on Forgiveness. 

Waiting for Willie to come and do an estimate on repairing the grate.  John H comes in with two of his Dark Lady artistic people to check out the space for his production of Shakespeare’s Gospel Parodies: A Medieval Mystery Play. After they leave, he stays to discuss our evolving business plan. 

On the steps, Stephen and I review  the progress of the final scene. And  some neighborhood noise complaints. Not a problem for me, but we need their support. An older thin African American man, bearded, with a walking stick approaches. Asks to buy a cigarette. Here, don’t worry about it, is the response. No, no, no he says. I know how much they cost. Take this 50 cents. Money makes the world go round. If you take more than you give, the whole wheel stops. Don’t you forget it. He gives his 50 cents, heads on up the street. 

The well dressed young man with an accent selling office supplies comes in again looking for Danielle. When I tell him  she isn’t there, he heads to the Woodshed office. The Super Soccer people are back, still looking for space. (Ted thinks maybe the gym might work.)

Willie still hasn’t arrived. I have to head to the hospital. I ask the Woodshed folks to lock up after I’ve gone, the doors are hard for me right now. 

After the Center meeting, Hope asks me to check the doors. The inner ones were locked but outer ones open when last she checked. When I stop by, I see all three are occupied, more on the side. Including the wildly tatooed man I’ve seen the last several days, on and off. Middle aged white guy, sometimes wearing only shorts, covered in tats. (More than your average Woodshed twenty/thirtysomethings.) Staring out into space. He looks at me looking at the steps, points around the corner to the 86th Street door thinking I want Woodshed. A colony is growing again. Something must give. 

I have to remind myself, less than three weeks ago last summer  we came back for  a service on the steps, what Amanda called our first step. There's been a lot more since then.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnTGLLgyLH8