Scenes from the city: Church steps

It’s a church much like every other church.

Built more than a hundred years ago when people still believed, when people still prayed.

Early English style of Gothic architecture, built and patterned in polychrome brick. The five-bay nave is wide and without side aisles but with side porches, the chancel has lean-to vestries, there’s a short right transept. Jesus beams down from the stained glass.

A homeless man slumps on the bluestone steps outside one of the side porches, his belongings in a slew of tightly packed nylon bags around him.

He’s dressed all in black with a black oversized cotton hoodie. With the cowl pulled over his head he looks like a monk, head bowed in solemn contemplation. Looking straight ahead on the path to the kingdom of God, not left or the right for paths that lead away from the light.

He stands and stretches and turns, a giant hot pink Playboy logo emblazoned on the front of his hoodie.