My thanks to Quentin Tarantino who is cast as this street preacher.
It was 1958, the Saturday before Easter (the same as today but 52 years ago), and my friend Ted and I had made our way to New York City. We were 16, but both of us were pretty big, and we had fake ID’s if we needed them, and the drinking age in New York was 18. The rest is history.
We had a great time, and even got to the Village Gate to see Brownie McGhee and Sonny Terry on stage. It was remarkable in many ways, including experiencing going to a bar at the 8:00 a.m. opening. I’ve never done that one since. We watched (and drank) with what I thought of as “professional” drinkers, I guess alcoholics by today’s standards. I do remember we had a good time, no cars were involved, and we all lived to tell about it.
However, the most memorable event to me those 52 years ago, was walking in Times Square at about 8:00 p.m. and there was a man in a suit and tie, with the “good book” held high above his head, screaming with a Southern accent,” What are you doing, out on the streets of New York, the night before Easter, without a bible in your hands?”
So wherever you may be, as you read this, in that crazy man’s honor, let me ask you, “What are you doing, wherever you may be, the day before Easter, without a bible in your hand?” (Accent implied)
We had a great time, and even got to the Village Gate to see Brownie McGhee and Sonny Terry on stage. It was remarkable in many ways, including experiencing going to a bar at the 8:00 a.m. opening. I’ve never done that one since. We watched (and drank) with what I thought of as “professional” drinkers, I guess alcoholics by today’s standards. I do remember we had a good time, no cars were involved, and we all lived to tell about it.
However, the most memorable event to me those 52 years ago, was walking in Times Square at about 8:00 p.m. and there was a man in a suit and tie, with the “good book” held high above his head, screaming with a Southern accent,” What are you doing, out on the streets of New York, the night before Easter, without a bible in your hands?”
So wherever you may be, as you read this, in that crazy man’s honor, let me ask you, “What are you doing, wherever you may be, the day before Easter, without a bible in your hand?” (Accent implied)
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