Charlie + Detroit

Yesterday I ran into Charlie. "I heard your band playing Stevie Ray Vaughn songs the other day! Sounded great! I said.

I met Charlie last month, a few days after he moved in when I saw him with his dog; a pure bread 100 pound coonhound named Detroit.

Yesterday we spontaneously walked Lily and Detroit together. They are the same height and build.

On the walk Charlie told me his bones fused when he was 12, overnight from juvenile rhumatoid arthritis. He had his knees replaced so he can walk but his wrists elbows and fingers have severe damage. He is a sculptor and musician and painter.

I want to help kids that have this but it is too emotionally painful, he said.

You ARE helping people by doing your art. I told him

I told him about Tanya who lives behind him, who also had a rare childhood condition and her frozen knee that recently had surgery. He said please introduce me.

On East School Street I found the peach tree loaded with unripe peaches. We turned onto Pond Street and came back on Social Street and stopped at his driveway. He lives in the former Lauzon Funeral home. He said the landlord gets pressure to sell the building but everyone in these apartments are disabled.

He invited me to come back on Sunday with Bill. I will!