Neither more nor less

Max and I both spent a good bit of time on avenue A and we were both part of the same little crowd of people that gathered routinely at and around Ray's Candystore . Max was a quiet person and never talked much ,at least with me , but I did learn over time that he was an artist ,that he was Russian and had spent several years studying art at one of the most prestigious art schools in all of Russia . Occasionally Max drew with chalk on the sidewalk as above at Ray's . I can not say much about Max because I never really knew him , not even his last name . Our paths crossed often for years but not much was ever said at those encounters . My fault as much as anyone's this all to common human failing . Max is now gone from the community.

Last week Max died of injuries suffered in a fall from a building onto the sidewalk somewhere ,I have been told , along 7th Street between avenue A and first avenue .