Streetwise(edited version)

Dear Brothers and Sisters (sisters...yeah...I wish ;)),

Ok....I finally wrote down some of what occured when some of us went down to see Greg in New Paltz. Great stuff, as you will see. Ok...I'd like Cliff's and Greg's...and anyone else's input as what to take out and put into this work. It's not done yet, only first draft you see. I also cut down the amount of characters so there are only three of us even though there were more of us there. I have also changed the names and some of what people said around.....but don't worry....even the Dog's name is thought out to some extent. So tell me what you think, help me edit! I think its ok...but it could be alot better. BTW: If any of the material offends you...like how I described you....its not my fault :) Anyway, call me.....

God Bless
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David Blundell
Creative Writing

Streetwise

A midsummer breeze blew colorful banners around, giving the street side buildings they were hanging from a slightly more festive look. Early evening sunlight cast shadows on the cobbled streets of the busy town. Cars passed the sidewalk, seldom slowing to glimpse the multitude of pedestrians that seemed to crawl out of the cracked granite and slate. Roadside buildings rose high above street level, their balconied second floors overlooking the growing Saturday evening nightlife.
I followed Gabriel and Percy as they weaved their way through the convulsing crowd. I could tell they had done this sort of thing many times before. Intimidated by the street denizens that seemed to cling to steps near the sidewalk, I made sure as not to get too far behind my friends. I looked down at gothic complexions of many of the pedestrians, fearing they might stab me or shove a marijuana joint down my throat any second. Eyes glanced up at me, irises barely noticeable behind all the deep black or purple eye shadow. Smoke billowing out of a nearby restaurant permeated my nostrils, reminding me of a church barbecue a few years ago.
Percy suddenly stopped, his spectacled face turning to a corner café to the left of us.
-I’m hungry-
-You’re always hungry, Sir Percival of the Dinner Table- I said jokingly.
-Well guys, we can stop for a few donuts…seeing as how we’re not doing much- added Gabe, settling himself down on the concrete steps that led up to the café.
-I’ll bring the donuts out here…the inside looks kinda sketchy- I said, as I opened the chipped door. Paying for three jelly donuts was simple: within only five minutes the three of us were sitting on the stone steps gorging ourselves on the snacks.
A dog sniffed near us, its floppy ears bouncing up and down jovially as he attempted to snap at my donut. Too slow to react, I jumped out of the way only to see seemingly lethal fangs clamp down on the jelly goodness that had once been mine. This amused my two companions immensely as the dog’s owner came running up to his furry companion. The man, about fifty, sheepishly turned to my laughing friends and me.
-Sorry! Sorry! Bud here can get really friendly sometimes. Can I buy you another donut?-
-It’s ok…I thought something like this might happen in New Paltz, I had forgotten how crowded it can get on the street on a Saturday night- interjected Gabe.
-Oh…you guys from around here then? asked the man, who took a seat on the stone steps next to us.
-Well, I grew up here, but these guys live down in Westchester. We met at a church down there-
-This is Gabe and Dave, and I am Percival, very nice to meet you- added Percy, holding out his once tattooed arm.
-Hey, nice to meet you all. Samuel’s my name. I live a couple blocks from here. So you live in Westchester now, Gabe?- said the man, Samuel
-No…I moved to Kansas City almost a year ago. I had an opportunity over there.- replied Gabe. I was waiting with baited breath for the hammer to fall. I wondered how Samuel would react.
-…. God’s really doing a lot over there with me- The hammer fell. I could almost here its metaphorical clanging sound resound in my head. The man did not seem at all perturbed, to my astonishment.
-You guys really religious or something then?- replied the man, a more interested expression on his bearded face now.
-I wouldn’t call myself religious. I see it as more of a relationship with my God. Without all the trappings of religion that I believe separate one from their God.-
-That is a good way of putting it. All these people ask me my ‘religion’ and I’m never exactly sure what to say…but you just said it in a nutshell- I added.
-So…who is your God then?- Samuel said, trying to keep Bud from molesting a passing pigeon.
-The God of my forefathers: Yahweh, Abba….Jehovah-
-So…your…. Protestants then?- asked Samuel tentatively, obviously confused by Gabe’s answer.
-Again, not quite. We like to be called just plain Christians. We don’t go by the strict laws of some Protestant churches, all we follow is the Bible…Mere Christianity- added Percy, theatrically waving his arms around.
-Who is your God?- Gabe shot back, an inquisitive look on his well kempt face.
-Well, I come from a Jewish background, and I believe some of the beliefs that go along with that faith, but also…well…I don’t believe in God in the conventional sense. Don’t get me wrong, I do believe in God like my persecuted ancestors. They really did have a strong faith; during the Holocaust…my father and mother were put into concentration camps…but God came through for them. and they were able to survive and move out here. My belief that God is…. more of an omnipotent presence. Like, I believe he is everywhere. There’s a part of him in all of us. We all have God in us.-The warning bells began to sound off in my head. I realized this had some truth to it, but I could tell in the direction this was going, and I knew I would disagree with it. –Most people don’t know that, and it’s only a certain number of people that become enlightened like that. Enlightened ones like Mohammed, Buddha and-
-Jesus said there was only one way to truly find God. He said “I am the way, the truth, and the life, no man comes to my Father but through me”. That is the one of our core beliefs. He wasn’t enlightened- he didn’t have to be- he knew who he was. He knew that he had to do a task for the Lord. He knew that people needed something before the end times- Gabe softly but firmly said.
-Well, I didn’t know he said… I believe in the end times too. Only, I believe that the world will end when people lose their egos. Like all wars, conflicts, and most troubles in the world, is due to people and their big egos. I think that if people just gave up their egos they’d be enlightened…and I believe…truly find God…truly find themselves-
-Well, definitely people won’t have egos anymore after the end of the world- joked Percy, causing both Gabe and I to chuckle under our breath.
The sun had begun to slowly set during our conversation, as most pedestrians faded back into the growing night. Now too late for shadows, I could feel chills running up my back as the heat of the day left the street to steam in the coolness of night. The sidewalk was now all but vacated, as cars became few and far between on the road in front of us.
-Let’s pray for you, Samuel, would you mind that?- questioned Gabe, standing from his stone seat to stretch. Obviously taken aback at first by my friend’s proposition, Samuel agreed as we all bowed our heads in reverence to God, whatever that might be for us. Gabe began to pray.
-Lord, I ask you to come to Samuel. Let him know who you are. Let him know who he truly is. Show him how much you love him. This conversation we had here on the street was no coincidence. No, you brought him here, to us, for a reason. I thank you for bringing him here tonight. I know he has been searching. Let him no that he no longer has to search. His quest is finally over. Let him know your love. Your agape! Amen.” We all uttered hushed amen’s, even Samuel though a much more feeble amen than Gabe’s.
-…. Thank you guys. Have a good night. Interesting to hear what you had to say. Enjoy New Paltz!- said Samuel, taking Bud by the leash and leisurely walking down the street, obviously musing on what had just transpired.
-God Bless!- I called after him, as I saw Bud’s tail disappear behind the corner of the café.
-Do you think he’ll find out the truth?- I asked Gabe.
-Yea….he will. The Lord has a plan for him. A rebirthing started here tonight.- With that, we all stood up and began to walk back the way we had came, as the café disappeared behind us. The café’s sign hung above my head, so I chanced a glance at its wooden frame and stopped dead in astonishment. Ariel’s Coffee House was scruffily scrawled on it, and Percy and I exchanged shocked glances. Jerusalem! I could see him mouth even through the darkness. Even I knew that sometimes Ariel was used as an poetic name for Jerusalem, the holiest city on earth. Israel was where it was all going to end.
-I will show you greater works than these, it is written. Come, the night is young! - quoted Gabe, a smile spreading above his dark goatee. I smiled as I began to stroll along the street, gazing at the now twinkling stars above me. Hallelujah!