The man with gold teeth

6/12

Back in the city. Ludovica is in with her assistant Judy. She’s got a new play underway and is here to rehearse her new play. Early 20th century, Vienna, Freud....It’s good to have her back. Her rehearsals from her As it is in Heaven Shaker Play helped bring us back to life. Had to fix up some bathrooms. Cean the place up.  The Shaker furniture from that play stays with us. 

Out on the steps is a surly young  man with gold teeth. Decorative eyebrow shaved spaces. A bun on the back of his head. He’s listening to his Ipod and rapping loudly and disturbingly. I ask him to keep it down. He agrees. As i’m going inside, he appears to be begging from an African-American professional looking woman waiting for the bus. I let it go and go back onside. 

Later, I go back outside and he’s asking an African-American professional man for money.   I’m sorry you can’t do that, I say.  The professional man says Why not? Why can’t he? 

We don’t want that happening on the church steps. 

Do you have something  to do with the church?

Yes, I’m the Pastor. 


And I'm homeless, just tryin to get me some food, the man with gold teeth says. 

The man i the suit  looks somewhat confused, disoriented. Decides to leave,

Motherfuck, the man with gold teeth says, that was my money. 

Sorry, you can’t be here during the day.

I ain't alseep.

Sigh. That again. 

Didn't say you were. 

He stands up. Gets in my face. You a racist motherfucker. You let these white guys be here all the time. And he points to a pile of cardboard stashed in the scaffolding structure.

First of all,  ain’t no white guys here right now, I say. Never during the day. But I see you’ve got a beer can, you can’t do that  here, and cigarette butts all over the place.

He brandishes the beer can at me, then violently throws it to the sidewalk. You a racist motherfucker.

Marc has appeared on the steps behind me. Hey man, this is no good, he says.  I saw you yesterday. You’re not showing respect here. Not for the church, not for yourself, not for anyone else.  This isn’t good  for you. No good. 

The man with the gold tooth’s eyes flash for a moment.  yeah, well allright then...and gets off the steps and begins walking away. Stops and picks up the beer can.

I feel slightly embarrassed. It starts with tired and moves on from there.  

Marc has received a decent bid for the revamped amp he found and placed on eBay. It’s a good offer. From  Bangkok. Evry bit helps. 

I’ still thinking about the man with gold teeth.