quite a weekend....

for the cityboy---let's begin with Saturday afternoon, a very hot afternoon. Arrived at Ede Fox's campaign headquarters and got my assignment, to ( with a partner) canvas in several apartment houses on Eastern Parkway, and also on Union Street, a block south of the Parkway. What did this mean? Going into these houses and knocking on doors, getting signatures to put the candidate on the ballot and talking up Ede. It is a tough job and quite frankly, I felt reluctant to do it. In spite of that, I did, and we ended up having some interesting conversations with the tenants. Even though  I did not want to do this, I understand, that, in hindsight, it was the right thing to do. One interesting encounter was with a woman homeowner who lived across the street from the apartments that we were canvassing on Union Street. She told us that the building has been in her family for 60 years, and that now she is bombarded with calls pushing her to sell. I gave her information to Tyler, the campaign manager for Ede, in the hope that she might contact this woman. Interestingly, she said that she only stopped to talk because of the "Brooklyn is Not For Sale" shirt that I was wearing. I hope that this comes to something; this woman seemed very bright and might really help Ede if she reaches out to her.
After leaving the headquarters I walked north on Nostrand, wearing my shirt, from the Parkway to Fulton Street (about nine blocks) I was stopped twice by men who really liked the shirt---very heartening---tonight at the meeting I will urge people to take walks in their neighborhoods wearing the shirt---I think it will stir up conversation. Also, what about sending volunteers out, two by two, to just walk different routes with the shirt and see whether people want to talk to them. Will probably bring this up in the meeting tonight---if it seems appropriate.
But the day was hardly over, for I had a ticket to Sweat, Lynn Nottage's play--its next to the last performance. Really glad I went, just like Indecent the quality of the work, the integration of acting, directing, tech work was remarkable. It is a very intense play and has some great character work--also a back story of violence that is very dramatic but really I don't think was that important. All this I thought of after I saw the play---I was riveted watching it. For the first time, I feel that the serious plays on Broadway, really are existing on a higher level then plays at the other venues.  Both Indecent and Sweat show a tremendous sense of FORCE and passion---there is nothing phony about either of them---nothing showy, either. Both depend on a strong and focused ensemble,  and both exist without a star. There is total conviction here. As in Indecent, the audience Saturday night for Sweat, really loved the play, and gave the actors a tremendously warm reception.
 Sunday, woke up tired, did not get off as early as I would have liked, then got caught in the Pride parade when tried to go to the library on 40th and 5th (for some reason I thought the parade would begin at 34th street---millions of floats, it seemed. Finally, I arrived at South Fourth, a little tired and drowned myself in a large ice coffee. South fourth was fun, stopped to talk to Kim and Clint, had a good talk with Kathy (I had not spoke to her in a while) and  played an informal game of trivia there with a couple who are regulars, and my friend Harlo. Nice conversation, very glad I went. Afterwards, decided not to go right home. Had a "Brooklyn Adventure"  Got on the J at Marcy Street, took it to Flushing Avenue, then got off, and wandered over to the southern end of Tompkins Street---walked south on Tompkins while waiting for a slow bus, loved the adventure, finally, a little south of DeKalb, the bus came and I took it to Fulton. Tompkins, like most Bed-Stuy streets now is a little bit of the old (poor) and the new (millenials) Older buildings that seem like tenements stand next to 4 or 5 story new buildings. Of course, the perpendicular streets to Tompkins contain some amazingly beautiful brownstones. I had not explored the Bed-Stuy Tompkins before, now I was glad that I did, my first trip all the way through.
Walked a few blocks west on Fulton, finally took the bus to Waverly where I had a beer at Hops Hill, a bar I often walk by when I go to Jack, but very rarely enter. But it was very mellow, not too crowded on Sunday, and the bartender put on the Cards-Pirates game for me. No conversation, but I liked the energy. Left after about an hour, walked west on Fulton to Flatbush, then got the Q at DeKalb and went home.
Wow! That is a lot of stuff. But that was it--I seem to need to push my energy  everywhere.
Will report on the rest of the day and the BAN meeting, tomorrow.