so many things going...

round in my mind, at this moment---hard to separate, but anyway:
Last night, participated in the discussion at JACK with its theme of Reparations---a series of discussions that the space has been presenting all year, and will continue through next January.
This one had two speakers: one was a Native American and the other a woman of Japanese descent who discussed the reparation money the American government had given them in the past 30 years.
The money was for that lost by the Japanese citizens of the US when they were interned during World War II. For the Native Americans, it was for the land from the tribes that the government had taken over the years. That money has not been touched by the Native Americans; it is in an IRA fund---it is not what they really want. The presentations were interesting, the discussions afterwards a little boring, but ultimately, I am really glad that I went. The room was made up of a very diverse group, I would say 50% per cent black, the rest, white, Native American and Asian. Yes, there were moments when I thought the presentation went on too long, or some of the comments were too self involved, but, now with a day's hindsight I think it was important for me to be there--and I definitely want to go to the forums in August--they will be moderated by a playwright and poet named Carl, whom I was very friendly with about 20 years ago.
Afterwards, walked west on Fulton, to the BAM epicenter, (I usually do this---it is a short walk and nicer than taking the subway right away), found a pizza store that I like very much and after the pizza, headed to Mullane's a sports bar near by, to watch the All Star game and have a beer. Mullane's is a very male oriented bar---some couples and groups but a lot of men alone or men in groups watching sports events. The staff is incredibly nice, and I feel comfortable there. Had my beer and got into a nice discussion with the gentleman sitting next to me named Doyle. An "older" man, which means he seemed to be a little younger than myself. What did we discuss?  Well, the game (which I find slightly irrelevant---at this point the next morning, I don't even know who won) , and other friendly "bar chit chat" which means some ironic jokes, some comparisons of experience, and a general sense of the enjoyment (however brief) of the other's company. No discussions of politics or neighborhood problems. After a while he left, and I watched the game and drank my beer in relative quiet.
Returned on the 2 which I picked up at Nevins---read a short story by a novelist whom in the past I had found slightly interesting, but her short stories---and a great short story is a wonderful thing---seemed manufactured---throw aways, kind of meaningless. I just returned this book to the library, along with Capote's Breakfast at Tiffany's, which I really enjoyed. Lots to read in today's Village Voice, so that will probably fill some time until the next book.
This evening: first stop, a bar on Nostrand, just south of Atlantic, to deliver a Brooklyn is Not For Sale tea shirt to a man named Justin, who is a cook at that bar. He saw my shirt on Saturday as I was walking north on Nostrand, and we got into a discussion about gentrification in the area. The upshot was that he said he wanted a shirt, and I told him I would buy one for him at the meeting on Monday. So I did, and I will visit his bar with the shirt tonight. Afterwards it is off to a performance space-bar on Morgan Avenue in East WIlliamsburg to see a band with Shannon, a Friends graduate, and her partner. Another bar in the area for city boy to be aware of---can't be all bad.
    Anyway, I will report on these events tomorrow...