Ken Moshesh’s narrative through homelessness, police harassment, legal challenges and the laundramat
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by Ken Moshesh ODE TO LANGSTON
THE WARM MORNING OF MARCH 21ST FINDS ME LEAVING MY USUALLY- ONCE- PER WEEK INSIDE SPOT EARLIER THAN USUAL. SINCE THIS IS ALSO THE DAY I WASH MY CLOTHES, SOILED FROM THE PREVIOUS NIGHTS’ THE PROPRIETOR GREETS ME ON THE WAY OUT AND DISAPPEARS INTO HIS ACTIVITIES AS MY DOLLAR BILL VANISHES INTO A HANDFUL OF COINS. I CAREFULLY DROP THE CORRECT AMOUNT INTO THE RIGHT SLOTS TO BEGIN THE WASH... SOAP IN THE BOTTOM, CLOTHES ON TOP, SELECTION DIAL TO NORMAL INSTEAD OF PERMANENT PRESS... “AT LEAST THE CLOTHES WILL BE CLEAN FOR MY DAY IN COURT,” GIVES WAY TO THE SOUND OF THE INCOMING WATER FILLING THE VACUUMS. I HOPE SOME OF THE PEOPLE WHO SAID THEY MIGHT COME SHOW UP, JUST IN CASE SOMETHING GOES WRONG LIKE LAST TIME AND I END UP IN JAIL. THAT WAY I COULD LEAVE MY STUFF WITH FRIENDS INSTEAD OF HAVING SELECTED ITEMS CONFISCATED (LIKE MY BOOK ON HOMELESSNESS, COBBLESTONING QUICKSAND MAZES, WAS DURING MY LAST ARREST). I OPEN THE TOP LOADER. THE MACHINERY STOPS ALONG WITH MY THOUGHTS AS MY FINGERS CHRONICLE THE COLDNESS OF THE WATER. ANOTHER PATRON COMES IN, ALSO LOOKING FOR THE MANAGER, AS THE IMPENDING 9:30 COURT TIME SLAMS THE LID SHUT. WEARING MY SEMI-CLEAN APPAREL, I AM GREETED IN FRONT OF THE BERKELEY SUPERIOR COURT, RIGHT NEXT TO THE BRAND NEW BERKELEY POLICE DEPARTMENT, BY A CHARACTER DRESSED IN MANY THINGS. THE MOST NOTABLE OF THESE ARE AN OLD TRENCH COAT AND A COLORFUL BANDANA AROUND HIS FOREHEAD. “THEY CALL ME THE ACE OF SHADES,” GESTICULATES MY HOST AS HE ATTEMPTS TO OCCUPY AS MUCH OF THE WALKWAY LEADING TO THE COURTHOUSE AS HE CAN. MEANWHILE, POLICE OFFICERS ENTER IN AND OUT OF THE POLICE STATION AND COURT PERSONNEL IN AND OUT OF THE COURTHOUSE NONCHALANTLY. NOTICING THE DAMPNESS INSIDE MY COLDLY WASHED JACKET POCKETS, I WALK OVER TO THE GRASS IN FRONT OF THE COURT BUILDING TO A STRUCTURE THERE, AND PLACE MY TWO HOUSE PACKS ON IT. ONE BY ONE, FIVE WELCOMED ASSOCIATES ASSEMBLE ON THE COURT HOUSE LAWN, WITH ANOTHER TWO ,OSHA NEUMANN (ATTORNEY AT LAW), AND JULIE CHI, UC STUDENT YET TO COME. LISA GRAY-GARCIA (AKA TINY), PROJECT DIRECTOR/ CO-EDITOR POOR MAGAZINE; DARREN NOY LEAD,COMMUNITY ORGANIZER BOSS; MICHAEL DIEHL, BERKELEY FREE CLINIC ETC.; CHARLES AIKENS, POST NEWSPAPER GROUP; AND VIDEOGRAPHER ALDO ARTURO DELLA MAGGIORA CONVENE, MAP INSIDE THE COURTHOUSE, DISCUSSIONS AND INTERVIEWS CONTINUE. WE ARE GRANTED PERMISSION TO VIDEO TAPE IN COURT. THE PUBLIC DEFENDER, GREG SYREN, AND OUR LEGAL ASSOCIATE, OSHA NEUMANN, JOIN IN OUR CONTINUING COMMUNICATION CIRCLE. FINALLY THE PUBLIC DEFENDER IS CONVINCED TO ASK THE JUDGE FOR A LEGAL HEARING TO CHALLENGE THE LODGING LAW, AND THE HEARING ON THE ORIGINAL PETITION TO REVOKE PROBATION (FOR LODGING). THE JUDGE GRANTS THE REQUEST AND SETS THE 12TH OF APRIL AS THE NEW COURT DATE FOR BOTH MOTIONS. |