Church & Dope On Lawrence Street

Walked out front door. Hit with the smell of pot.

Walked down steps. Turned right. A man. Sitting on the stoop next door.

Thought of Staci's story about the man she saw on our stoop. "We know everybody who knows anybody who lives here and you're not one of them..."

She said it was for coke.

I said, "Good morning," to this man and kept walking. He looked... nervous? bland? numb? blank. not sad, mad.. just blank... not desperate or desolate just... there. Sitting on the stoop.

--I wished I had invited him to church.

I'm a woman, I rationalized. I need to be wise. Street smart. Ugh. So not fair--but what about women like Mother Theresa? and Harriet Beecher Stowe? 

Continued on my way to church.

@ intersection of Russ & Broad...An SUV.

The man inside pulled up and said, "Hey [something about being beautiful] can I give you a ride somewhere?"

I attempted to ignore him and keep walking. But he saw me better and said, "I know you!"

He pulled over.

"No, wait. Come here. I know you."

Assuming maybe he did know me from somewhere... a few possibilities passed through my mind... I  kept my distance but asked, "How do you know me?"

"What's your name?"

I didn't give it.

He thought I was  woman named Kathy. He used to do dope with her on Lawrence.

I told him I've never done dope but that I was on my way to church on Lawrence actually and invited him to join me.

"What church?"

@ the Lyceum. Redeemer Hill Church.

Every Sunday?

Yup.

A woman who looked like she was on her way to the Pentecostal church a few feet away walked by...

I hoped for a second she'd say something.

She didn't.

I excused myself by explaining that I was running late and needed to go...