Trick or treat

10/31

I ask Teddy about the man wrapped in plastic outside on the steps. His name is Sean. Recently had a foot amputated. Says he’s got a check coming Thursday and will get a hotel room. I offered to help him to the emergency shelter, he didn’t want to go. He didn”t want to come in either. He did eat a big container of hot soup...

As we’re getting back to normal, I’m not comfortable with him being there all day. We agree that it’s best for him to move on for now. Teddy goes to talk with him.

A couple comes in looking for groceries, I direct them down to SPSA. 

Marc comes in to talk about the sermon we missed last Sunday. He’s found a reverb sound, ambient and unique to West-Park and recorded it. If I want to record the sermon, he can add the ambient sound so it sounds like it was made in  the church sanctuary. 

I hear the sounds of the Theme from Love Story and other pop classics coming from the sanctuary. I go to check with a sense of curiosity, maybe a little hope. Turns out to be a man named Ramon. He wants to meet Martin. Tells me he’s a dancer.Wants to bring ballet performances as a gift to the church. And then I discover he’s talking about Sanctuary NYC. He’s joining the choir and..... Well, all right then. This all brings me down a little. 

Go across the street to buy candy for trick or treaters. On the way back, my friend Mark Koenig from the Presbyterian UN Mission is crossing the street. (See Mark's blog at http://graybeardtrail.wordpress.com/)  On his way back from his office. Took him over two hours by livery car to get there from his Morningside Heights home. They lost a window. With transportation down and no window repair soon, he’s keeping his office closed through the weekend. The island has become one mass parking lot as traffic has ground to a stand still so Mark has decided to walk home. He’s still got about two miles to go. La Guardia is still shut down.  We don’t need any more people coming into the city right now, he says as he begins to make his way north again. 

Glen’s already here when I get back. We’re trying to find ways to help but the presbytery website is still about preparation. Glen has heard about bus and van loads of volunteers on their way to the city to help.  Not sure that’s a good idea.  We also spend time on the Christmas child program he’s been working  onto bring shoe boxes packed with needed items to children. We need a night to collect the boxes.

I step outside with my candy to pass out to the trick or treaters. Seeing them gives a sense of normalcy in a difficult time and parents seem to have seized on Halloween with a passion. (The annual Greenwich Village parade has been cancelled for the first time in memory.) Princesses, ninjas, ninja turtles, superheros.... And Rachelle appears.... Oh pastor, all the lovely trick or treaters...I give her a candy bar, and she gives me a Starburst.

Teddy tells me that Hugo has just dropped off some pasta and meatballs. I give Teddy some Halloween candy. I’m off to Councilmember Brewer’s event. I’m passing out candy along the way. Trick or treat.