two days....

Friday: rest until around 4. then off to Brooklyn. Stops at Center for Fiction and Arts Library, across the  mstreet. No Brooklyn library card...a blessing or a curse---but can't take anything out. Then off to really what I came to Brookyn for---to participate in the "action" outside 130 Greene Street protesting a brutal and ugly deed theft. 

First image: walking east on Greene to the house---a warm feeling---the streets from Greene's beginning to around Waverly avenue have become a "never-never" land--safe, beautiful Brownstones---mostly white people who seemed affluent, walking the streets. Many mothers with children. Was this neighborhood ever different...I asked myself. Yet when speaking to the woman whose building was taken from her by fraud, she explained that when she bought the building in 1997, most houses on the block were boarded up. Hard to believe---try to imagine a "different" much more "rougher" Clinton Hill. Difficult. I remained at the action for about an hour---joined by mostly black protesters decrying the possibility of more deed thefts like this one, and claiming that there was no real assistance from elected officials. Some interesting conversations with the activists---however, directly east on the corner of Waverly and Greene, was an upscale restaurant--some outdoor diners right next to the protesters--no reaction from them. It occurred to me that after participating in the protest---shouting "what do we want..? Justice"; "When do we want it? Now", I could easily walk into the restaurant and have a nice meal---joining the "members of the community"---mostly white, I am afraid, and forget where I had just been. I did not think that most of the protesters who were black, would feel comfortable in that restaurant, or even consider going there.  It is this juxtaposition that I see often when I visit neighborhoods that have been gentrified in the last twenty years (has it been that long...? Yes)  So where am I in this?

Did not make the choice to eat next door--instead took the Gates Avenue bus about 10 blocks and ate at Fulton Bar, a friendly bar-restauarant n ear BAM. Had a nice Caesar Salad--very friendly bartender and watched the beginning of the Yankee-Brave game. Then it was time to return home to Manhattan.

Yesterday---the residue of energy from Friday caught up with me---so I had what I would call a "passive" day--stayed mostly around the apartment. Free movie at a Church about 10 blocks down---"The Way We Were"---decided to see it. Nice choice---not very crowded---big screen--movie was interesting---I had seen it on TV about 45 years ago---but seemed to go one forever---from episode to episode. Walked home from the Church--about 10 blocks--no stamina issue---bought my food and returned home.

today---would like to return to Brooklyn--maybe catch a "real" movie--we will see.