The UNDER THE BRIDGE Gang

Under the Bridge

TRUE COLORS

Once upon a time,

there were a group of very nice people.

Who lived under the George Washington Bridge.

The New York side.

They were all VERY good swimmers.

There was a prostitute, an alcoholic, a soldier who carried a gun for 5 years and never fired once, but he never told anyone.  

They were all dirty, and the girl cut her own hair herself, and every day there seemed to be more of them.

The girl sings the song to the soldier.

She’s a mess, but she sings beautifully, and her personality opens up and you can see all the sides of her all at once.

And she tells the soldier that its the same way about what she sees when she looks at him.

That she sees the guy who DIDNt kill anyone, and the brave guy, and the sensitive boy before he left and the strong guy he is now.

Whenever anyone FALLS from the bridge, one of them dives in and brings them back.

They gather around every night, the fire in the barrel.  There is always a soup cooking.  

The soldier is a great cook.  And can tell a great joke.

He’s quiet, but can come in with great zingers.

They support each other, emotionally.  A good circle of friends.

Everyone forgets how exactly they got there.  But nobody really wants to leave.

It might be heaven, it might be hell.

Or maybe even a purgatory.  A halfway house.

A good place to stay, before you know what you are going to do.

Images in the Cement

Mouse holding beer away, like he's had too much to drink.

How much is your Mental Health worth?

I wrote a 6 page essay on this & am trying to bust it into shape.

To be published!!

And the autumn

The trees, so full of color.

The world was black and white for a full 2 years after my Father died.

Entering the city, again. A walk to prevent CS. Today.

All those people under the bridge.

The ones who were saddled with a diagnosis. The ones who were really tormented by demons, and the others who were sad from circumstance.

The homeless guy at Alewife. Woke up as we lined up for the bus. His keys were jangling. (Keys??). 

Someone was trying to clean up the sooty area.  Collected the cardboard into a pile. Grabbed his bag, brought it inside, couldn't find him.  Came back out & waited.

The sun sets on the beaches

There are beaches here where the sun turns the water silver flat.

It started at Anjos/Angels

And now is approaching Praia.

I swear I saw it today.

Silver blinding everyone.

Stripping color from our few remaining days of summer.

Sunrises, Sunsets

I like the sunrise, because it reminds me of the sunsets I've witnessed on vacation.

And before that, as a kid, in my neighborhood, the natural transitions of everyday life as a child, playing until dusk.  Having so much fun at doing something that you forget everything around you.

And then sunrises.  The first one I remember witnessing.  We had "borrowed" a friend's car and we drove it all over town, talking all night.  It was not that much of a change, just a chance to be carefree.  In a NEW enclosed space.  (We were roommates)  I cannot bring myself to talk to her now.  But then, we stayed up til the sun.  We pulled up to a beach, I do not remember if it was too cold to get out of the car, or if we walked to the shore.  I think we stayed in the car and then drove back to the dorm.

The other sunrises that I recognize from trips to Greece.  Or having to get up early for a flight.  Or to commute.  When i had a job in Insurance.

It reminds me of the transitions of normal life.  These sunrises that I witness, crossing Times Square, heading east to the coffeeshop.  The very drunk very dutch girl, who asked for help and advice about dealing with her cocaine addiction.  There's a number you can call....

This morning I awoke to a Santa Maria Sunrise

I have an incredible view of the world. I am on vacation with my family, visiting them in the Azores.  Across the world.

A place of delight.  A place called home.