snow in august

it was beautiful today. just perfect. so this evening, my friend luke and i took advantage of the weather and drifted to the park. we found ourselves perched on the top tier of the central fountain with a perfect view of the arch and within perfect earshot of the dozens of performers filling the air with various sounds coming from all corners of the park.

we'd been sitting for awhile and had already been approached twice. at the same time actually. you should've seen the two beggars scoff at one another as they worked to beat each other out of a gig. one merely asking for a cigarette, the other selling his newspapers. but they were in it to win it.

but it was later that the true winner came along. . .

out of no where, a handsome young black man placed a cell phone in my open hand and, speaking hurriedly, insisted, "listen to this message. it's from my mother. she had a colonoscopy yesterday. everything's fine. it's fine. it's fine. it's the nicest message. listen to it. then press 11. let him listen to it. it's the best message." as i attempted to listen, i saw him jumping to speak to luke. and he couldn't sit still.

i thought three things: he either really wants to meet luke. or he's coked up. or both.

he introduced himself as "roland." and about 20 seconds into telling us we needed to come get drinks with him, our new friend whipped out some coke, did a quick hit, and wiped his nose. repeatedly. and then he actually said, "don't do this. you gotta be smooth. there's cops everywhere. i'm just really good at it. because i'm an actor. so no one can tell." he said all of this as he continued to wipe his nose, rapidly scan the park, and ask us, "am i ok? am i ok?"

since his attention span was all of a milli-second long, he had trouble completing his thoughts. and he repeatedly asked if we were nice people and if we thought he was nice. at one point, as he was launching into - i think - another story about his being an actor. when he interrupted himself - again - to ask luke and me a question.

he asked: "which do you like better roland or roddy?"

luke responded: "roland"

i agreed: "roland"

roland responded: "i'd like you to call me roddy."

luke and i burst into uncontrollable laughter. and roland - or roddy - didn't understand why.

i think he STILL doesn't understand why. and luke and i are still laughing.