If God wants it, it will be...

2/2

After breakfast with John H, after a moment where I feel like I know how this might all actually work, I’m greeted by Rafael and Steve and Chris and Teddy and the news that Dan was taken to the pysch ward at St. Luke’s. Apparenty there was a disagreement that ended with Dan throwing sugar in Teddy’s face. His eye is still watering and he is visibly upset. I’m actually relieved to hear some of this because I am hoping Dan can get the help he needs.

Apparently there were many issues with Maria over the course of the nght, too, and that helped trigger this morning’s conflict. 

The counter point here is going on in the sanctuary where Matt Webster is rehearsing his show. Not sure what it’s about, but the sound is good, clean, contemporary musical music. It’s calming.

But Dan soon retiuns and I’m quickly sucked into a mediation session.The community wants Dan out but my position is if he takes responsibiity to deal with his issues, he should stay. Dan has talked his way out of psych. He is apologetic at first, but then caustic and combative. I have to make clear that any specai agreements have to do with his storage of stuff and not living arrangements. Those have to do with the community and I will not undermine that process. It’s clear that this is not getting anywhere anytime soon. Everyone is using their best conflict resolution skills, but there’s a limit....Seems like they want Dan to take a break, come back tomorrow and work through this with the community. 

Luli from Noche is in to check out the spaces again. I’m hoping we can soon bring these negotiations to a close. 

I need to keep it together to get to a Presbytery Council on Social Witness meeting. But first, coffee with Jane at our Starbucks annex.

2/3

On the steps are an umbrella, a woven basket, a bag of clothes...I need help with this.

The news of the day is that  the conflict with Dan continued into the night and that Teddy decided to press charges and the police came and in the process found drugs and paraphanelia so this leaps from Precinct 24 to central booking. Danielle will spend many hours trying unsuceesfully to track him down.

Matt is rehearsing again. Charles, a timpanist with Spectrum, has his own symphony and a lot of creative ideas about rearranging the front of the sanctuary, lighting, etc. And his own possible series. When we walk into the sanctuary, he says, Are these the Occupy guys? and I say, Uh,no, it’s musical theatre, and the easiness of that confusion I find ironic.

Berik arrives and is confronted with the reality that with Dan in jail, he needs a DJ. Who can manage electronica for the models, disco for the party and ’80’s romantic pop for the anticipated Russians. 

So in addition for searching for Dan, we’re now searching for a DJ. Berik was paying Dan with art, what can he offer now?

In the middle of our searching, the Fire Department shows up and Danielle and I hold our breath. Seeing the FDNY, Teddy jumps in. His uncle is one of the bravest, as we call them. He handles it well. At the end, it’s a matter of a few new EXIT signs, which Teddy says can be easily handled. Danielle and I exhale. 

I’m off to meet with Pastor Elise.

On the way back to the church, I see the pickets are out at Saigon Grill. I greet Tracy, ask about Wednesday’s rally for the arrested workers. It’s a complicated issue, hard to reduce down to soundbyte size. Hope’ s on the line. First I’ve seen her since she’s returned from Atlanta. At this moment, in the midst of the picket, afer this day, after my conversation with Elise, I’m feeling good. That is, at peace. I know competely that we are doing exactly what it is we are supposed to be doing. I tell Hope we’ll be okay.

At the church, Berik’s fashion show is already underway. I’m happy to see Samantha and Lilly and Brandy and Hugo and Arcadia. Later, I see that Jane is here, too.  The music is thumping, models are walking and pouting and posing. An there’s wine and snacks and Argentinian empanadas. 

I share with Hugo my conversation with Hugo and he says, If God wants it to happen, it will happen..

After the show, Jane and Samantha and everyone are busy trying on things they can never afford. It;s disco music now.  

I think about what Hugo said. Pickets, models, security by #OWS, Russians and empanadas. We will do all we can do, and then, if God wants it, it will be....

Jane

Hugo and Lilly

Arcadia and Leila

Berik impresario

Samantha and Brandy

2/4

Just a brief stop in after a Dark Lady Players’ dinner at wth John H. Only Requiem and his girl are here. I think abiut the affection I’ve come to feel for Requiem. How as he’s been given responsibility, he’s grown into it. He’s proven to be stand up. I remind them to keep people out of  the yard after 10. How voices carry. Checking  the steps in the morning. Welcome at services if you want.  

They talk about their backgrounds, she from the dead milltowns of western Massachusetts. I mention MASSMOCA, the contemporary art museum. She shrugs, my people don’t go there. Like my son Micah said about MOMA, one percent. I come from rough, she says. So does he, and Requiem nods and talks about northern Florida swamp country. They met here. She took him back home once, between SPSA and West-Park.

She jokes that Dan’s yarmulke should calm him down. I look at her, slightly puzzled. She’s funny that way, says Requiem, and she’s Jewish. I like the absurd, you know, she says. And I get it.

As for rough, that’s how they see us now, too. It’s not intentional. It just is.