You using that?

3/20

On the border between our property and Barney Greengrass, a man is asleep. As I go to wake him up, I notice a wheelchair. And as he stirs, I realize he has no feet. I tell him he has to go. Ask if he needs help. He says no.

I’m fresh from leading a Bible study with my colleagues on Palm Sunday. Passion Sunday. This is a gentrified neighborhood. But the passion is always with us. 

Anna has her daily analysis of the world around us. Advice for my apartment search. As always her mental Rolodex, search engine, moves faster than I can deal with. 

Stephen is continuing on the organ trail and working on a move out plan for rearranging our stuff should the deal go through. 

I see Marty. He wants to know when Easter is. A week from Sunday, I tell him. He smiles and says, Ah, the end of Pesach. Once again, Jewish and Christian holidays align. Like they did at the start. 

It’s getting towards the end of the day. Martin and I are outside, on the steps.Talking.  A couple of guys walk by. See the long pipe, probably left over from the city’s latest work nestled between the church and Barney Grengrass. Behind where the man with no feet was sleeping. Hey, you using that? they ask. No, take it, it’s yours. And they pick up the 30 foot lead pipe and walk off with it. After months, it’s gone. Simple as that.

It’s now dark. Three young people are in the sanctuary. I ask what they’re up to. They saw the sign advertising Dzieci’s healing circle. Thought it was tonight. But it’s tomorrow night. I ask where they’re from. We’re from ISIS, they say. And of course, I think of my Dzieci friend, Isis Phoenix. And then they tell me, the International Seminary of Interfaith Studies. Of course. I.S.I.S. A break off of the old New Seminary, founded by Rabbi Gelberman, whose New Synagogue used to worship at West-Park back in the day. Whenever I begin to feel old, I remember Rabbi Gelberman,vital into his nineties, his congregation young and eager. These three, their faces are very young.