There are no coincidences

6/14

The Sentinel appears every day. Sits in the south doorway. Says nothing. Stares at the street for a few hours. Then leaves. 

Marc is hard  at work with a plan to install some new plugs and systems so that we won’t trigger the breakers every time we fully light the place. I’m alarmed to see a light on under the balcony stage, but it's Marc, hard at work. 

Long talk with Teddy . Some of the earlier visions of Occupy Wall Street are getting smaller. Well in a sense. For him, it’s more about being part of a community. Doing his part. Expecting others to do their part. His presence here, it makes a difference. He has truly become part of our community. 

Eldridge comes in. I can never much understand what  he’s saying. Have to listen real close.  Finally I make out Metro Card and give him money for a new card. 

David comes by to pick up some equipment, talk with Teddy about the grate project. Lots of father's day conversations going on.

There are two old guys sitting on the steps, passing an Ivanov vodka bottle back and forth, talking, telling tales.  Like characters in an August Wilson play. I tell them they’re welcome but the vodka’s not going to work. They tell me it works quite well, I say, ok, but not here. They grumble  a bit, move on.  

I need to get a fax done at 85 Copy. As I step outside, Martin is there looking for me. I take him to the  B, it’s the end of the day. The current crisis in Spain is making him rethink his situation. The staggering youth unemployment. Loss of hope, increasing drug use. Increased harassment of immigrants, especially Africans. He says to me, Growing up in Spain, every time things get chaotic, there’s some fascist dictator takes over. I don’t think its going to happen. But I don't want my kids there right now.  He wants to reopen discussions about coming into our house. And I’m all for it. Tell him he’ll have to speak with Jamie. She asks the hard questions. We’ll find out quickly if we can make it work. The energy and passion of his work is something I really want to be with us. He’ll come back tomorrow when Jamie is there. Martin says there are no coincidences. 

Inside, I hear the sounds of Kum Ba Ya coming from the rehearsal in the Balcony Theatre. Deep slow African-American voices. 

The man with the gold teeth says his name is Jesus Diablo, ie, Jesus Devil. Says that’s his birth name.