You and I are in the same business

2/1

Jeremy and I are reviewing the plans for Teddy’s memorial service. Theee’s a lot of people who want to be involved. To do this right will take some doing. Anna looks in, concerned about Cara. Marc of the Interfaith Assembly on Housing and Homelessness comes in and Jeremy goes home to pick up some keys.

Marc is concerned that the Assembly will have to move out of its offices sooner than expected. There’s a new program fro homeless veterans up and ready to roll but where if we have no office? I’d love to offer space, but we’re not really in that position right now...so much up in the air....On the other hand, the Assembly’s work at the Interfaith Center’s retreat on homelessness was all that we had expected it to be. Very sorry I had to be in court....

We hear screams. Outside? No the sanctuary. We run in. Again. Person A is protective of the church, sees person B heading out of the sanctuary and into the church house. attempts to intervene. Person B believes that they are part of the house and do so much so why can’t they? and of course it escalates. Someone feels they were touched or struck or threatened. Wants to remind us I am a professional person. So many personal issues , so much vulnerability involved here. Marc and I bring the energy down. I tell person B she looks OK ,but she will take a long time telling me she’s not. Person A was pretty calm to begin with. If you have open doors, provide welcome,a sense of home, well, as I remind people again...do not attempt to have a rational conversation in an irrational situation....and Marc heads back downtown.

Finally Jeremy returns. We go into the sanctuary and do some rehearsing of I shall be released. For the end of Teddy’s service. Decide we’ll skip the third verse. 

They say everything can be replaced,

Yet every distance is not near.

So I remember every face

Of every man who put me here.

I see my light come shining

From the west unto the east.

Any day now, any day now,

I shall be released.

They say every man needs protection,

They say every man must fall.

Yet I swear I see my reflection

Some place so high above this wall.

Standing next to me in this lonely crowd,

Is a man who swears he's not to blame.

All day long I hear him shout so loud,

Crying out that he was framed.

(uh, no, that doesn’t work....)

I shall be released

Then I take out the guitar and play Jeremy a song I’ve been working on for the service. I don’t usually write religious music, but this one came to me. We try it on guitar, then on the piano. And Jeremy takes it from a waltz to a gospel groove. He asks where it’s from and when I tell him it’s mine, he gets more excited, So we’re creating  this he says. And I say, Yes....

We go through  it several times and I start to loosen up, relax, ride  it a little. He asks me to slow down. And to trust the groove will take me there.  It’s a great feeling.

The Prophet has been coming in and out all day. Actually spoke to me today. When he came in, around noon, he said, Good evening...In the back of the church now. Stephen and Jay are working on the door. Trying a stitch in time, so to speak. Stephen shows me that our last banner has been blown off by the wind the other night and I see we've lost a section of the scaffolding as well.  RL and David stop in on their way up to RL’s studio. RL has a question, that will wait. A nanny comes in looking for a play group with a serious scowl and a sleeping baby. Sending her in the right direction does not make her smile. That scowl coming somewhere from the West Indies. 

Other people are just coming in to sit and pray. And hey, it’s cold out there. 

RL comes back. The Prophet has now come to the chair right outside the office. As we try and talk, the Prophet’s snoring gets louder and louder.  We look at each other. Almost too loud to hear ourselves. RL says, I get the feeling you and I are in the same business, but I’m not sure why. And as always, it’s not exactly clear what he means but it makes sense. 

Off to the B to check and see if Jamie’s cell phone is there. 

When I get back, there’s a couple to see me about getting married. I invite them in, ask Stephen to wake the Prophet. She’s Colombian/Peruvian and he’s Japanese and Jewish. in other words,a  New York couple. This wedding will be fun to plan. Lots of great pieces....Spanish, Catholic, Shinto, Jewish...

I check my watch, still time to make the movies at Times Square.