Smoke em if ya got em

7/16

The Sentinel is at his post. 

Jeremy of the Live Wire Theatre Company has an idea for an immersive theatre experience inspired by Woodshed  playing off Miller’s The Crucible. 

Teddy, Martin and I are on the steps talking. A wild eyed rail tin man swings around a scaffolding pole and launches into a rap seemingly reciting statistics on smoking and various countries, corporate conspiracies and the significance of non-filter Camels. He looks  at us intently. Teddy and Martin and I look at each other and back at him. He stares for a minute. Then shrugs, says, Hey smoke em if ya got em, swings around the pole again and is gone. 

A black man with three young children approaches with a convoluted story about trying to get back to Atlanta, being hungry, etc. As Teddy is saying, Hey look, I’ve got some salami and cheese, let me make you a sandwich, a young woman approaches, says, I’d like to help you, and hands the man  a twenty. Then Teddy takes them in  for sandwiches. 

I’m involved in a very intense phone conversation  when Rudolfo walks in. Haven’t seen him for a while. He lingers, hoping to talk, but I can’t break away. An then wanders off.

In the late afternoon we gather the remnants of our Occupy community. To clarify expectations. Tasks to be done. Accountability. Plans.

While we are talking, I’m hearing classical music from the sanctuary. I walk in. It’s Teddy’s friend, Karen. I’ve known her only as someone who plays her own music. She tells me of her classical training. 

Later, Karen comes into my office. Why isn’t anyone fixing up the church?  How do I even begin to answer that question? But I pause. Then begin to tell the story.