Neither one of us wanted to lay honorific claim to a losing situation.

3/22

Cara is alone in the darkened sanctuary when I arrive. Soon enough she opens the front door for me and begins the sweeping of the steps. 

My counter guy at Barney Greengrass tells me I won’t be seeing him anymore. New job at the Modern. Hosting for their restaurant. A step up? I ask. He smiles, shrugs. I thank him for taking care of me daily. For the kindness across the counter, coffee ready the minute I walk in. I tell him I’ll miss him. I wish him all the best. 

The mother of DJ Dan, former occupier Dan and her husband have come in. Looks like Dan’s last day in court. Teddy’s assault charges against him dropped. (As Teddy wanted) Other charges combined. In the end, he gets to plead to a misdemeanor moving a barrier charge instead of felony resisting arrest. He’s been doing well. Living in Colorado. Working as a chef. Has his life back. It feels good to have been with him through this process.

His mom has been thinking creatively about the long missing cover to the baptismal font. Even though it is heavy bronze, she believes a ceramic cover can be crafted. We carefully examine the font. Realize that the lotus imagery continues and the basin of the font is an open blossom. I borrow a tape measure from RL and we measure the size of the basin exactly. When this is finished, it will mark a beautiful symbolic end to our Occupy story. We will remember Dan’s presence with us. All that was good and generous about him at his best. His true self. And the amazing hyper real days of  Occupy West-Park. Her ceramic cups are already used for communion. Now our second sacrament will be covered too.

Cara’s music is accompanying our examination of the basin.

Court math gives Dan one more in/out jail day. The surprise is that logic would seem to indicate that he could spend it at the Tombs, downtown near the court. But they insist he be bussed out to Rikers’ Island and out through the system there. This will cut his flight back close. But he handles it all with equanimity. It will be over and his life will be his own again. 

I think of the connections between Dan, Occupiers, the church, his mom and step dad. It took all of us. But Dan had to take the responsibility to move forward. And he did.

Just enough time to out the bulletin  together before heading out to a wedding. Thinking through how we handle Dzieci’s Passion Play. Danielle is arriving.

RL steps in. Danielle doing some printing for him. Stephen got his Internet up and going again. He sees and starts to thumb through Isaac Asimov’s Annotated Guide to the Bible. Pretty credible  work for a science fiction writer. 

RL looks up. Isaac Asimov. Neil Young. Van Morrison. What do these three have in common? I say I sure don’t know. RL's ready... I had fights with all three a them. Neil and Van kicked my ass good. Asimov and I? Well we allowed ourselves to be pulled  apart, separated. Neither one of us wanted to lay honorific  claim to a losing situation. Yet anther of the yet be to be told stories from RL’s life.  You underestimate RL at your own peril .

Just enough time to get to my 5th Avenue  penthouse wedding in the Village. 

When I get back, Martin is there. He’s concerned. Wants to know how I’m doing. And I tell him. He gives me hug. Promises to do what he can. I can hear the flashing flamenco feet still pounding in the studio.