Neither more nor less

The placement of this tower at Campos Plaza was brought to our attention by http://www.evgrieve.com/ . A guard tower usually reminds of a prison yard with inmates , yet here one stands , 24/7 , in the commons area of a NYC housing project .We've been to this commons area at Campos Plaza several times to cover stories such as :
http://neithermorenorless.blogspot.com/2008/04/more-shots-fired-in-east-village-young.html 
According to police dept. personnel this tower is a deterrent . Indeed we were told that the commons area has been clear of gang activity since the tower has been in place . But the tower will only be at Campos for a total of 30 days .Then the tower will be relocated to another project for another 30 days for the same purpose , as a deterrent .
Just a couple of weeks before the tower was put  in place at Campos , a slashing occurred not far from where this tower now stands.

In years past Cut Man Eddie (by some also kown as Cut Man  for cutting things other than hair)  set out the ears of the T.S.P. chess tables crew for a modest fee . Eddie used electric clippers . He found the electric to run them in a recepticle  at the base of an avenue A light pole .The clippers made only the slightest sound as they trimmed their way through a head of hair . Eddy was an enterprising  one-man operation earning  some sorely needed capital.

Today folks in T.S.P.were experiencing a shearing to the sound of amplified clipper noise .It was get your hair cut and annoy half the park with the clipper sound blasted everywhere . This was of course a performance , an art project , and the trims were free . Half a dozen folks were involved in the production.

Several folks had been trimmed and when Cochise finally arrived after a torturing jouney from Crusty Row he saw the opportunity for a free shearing , something he needed , he felt that he  was a little ragged on top  . The performance was finished though and all those folks involved  were packing it up .

 Cochise dealt with the disapointment by nursing a series of beers . All was well until later in the evening when Cochise had to be delivered by ambulance to detox at a local hospital.

Cochise was on the row today but where were the Crustys? Don't the swallows always fly all the way from Argentina every year , to return on time in the spring at mission San Juan Capistrano? Can't the Crustys travel on time the relatively short distance from little old New Orleans to the row here in N.Y.C?

Many have been wondering... whats going on ? They are not here yet , not a sign of them coming either . Was NYPD to harsh and unwelcoming to them last summer . Perhaps a previously unreported flesh eating disease diminished their number beyond repair and none are left to make the trip. Maybe its just global warming ... pardon , climate change.

As a comfortably dressed couple passed , the cops hurriedly left without making an arrest or even issuing a summons.

What with the intimidating success of gentrification at displacing so many of  those once responsible for genuine neighborhood farce , L.E.S. Jewels' regular alcoholic performances are about all that is left of spontaneous Saturday night entertainments .

Nothing new here this Saturday night at Ray's . Jewels did not disappoint . He began the evening  by being drunk on his ass .  Jewels bemused the editor of a local news paper ; prostrated himself at the feet of beautiful women then rolled supine bellowing and , as cynic Diogenes , masturbated in the agora out front of Ray's ....while his former love was working just through the window of the candy store .

Later in the evening Jewels shared some camaraderie with fellow drinkers , then sat down on the avenue A sidewalk and quietly nursed a bagged can of malt liquor  .