Archive for March, 2014

After a night of snow, the streets of New York had mountainous drifts butted up against cars and sidewalks that were being cleared by superintendents and store clerks.  Augustine had to meet Martin at his studio to discuss an editorial job for an art magazine Martin had decided to publish.  While walking on Second Avenue, he heard the shrill laughter of Hymie ‘The Rag’ Goldberg, a six-foot-seven inch Jewish man with the mentality of a five-year old ...

In November of 2004, Augustine’s friend Lauren asked him to monitor an English composition class that she taught in an Upper West Side New York City high school. She promised him that he would find it interesting, especially a short piece written by an Iraqi student. When the boy’s time came to read, he got up and walked slowly to the front of the class. His hands shook. He could barely face the other students; and when he looked sheepishly ...