Two
homeless guys, Brick and Block, meet on the Elizabeth River ferry and gossip about politics and life. Brick lives in
Norfolk, Block lives in Portsmouth.
Who
runs Tabloid Town? Brick asks.
I
think it's Kenny Wright, Block says.
Are
you sure?
He's
the mayor, Block says.
Who's
the other guy?
City
Council member Mark Whitaker, Block says.
Sounds
like he runs Portsmouth, Brick says.
He
wishes, Block says.
What
about the rest of them?
The
rest of Portsmouth City Council is a Greek chorus, Block says. They
don't agree with anything, not even with themselves.
What's
a Greek chorus?
Background
noise, Block says. Lots of sound, lots of fury, signifying nothing.
They protest too much?
Whitaker
does, Block says. But whatever Whitaker wants, Whitaker gets.
Anything?
Anything
to boost his name and fame, Block says.
That's
so cynical, Brick says.
I
used to be an angry old journalist, Block says.
Now
you're just angry and old, Brick says.
Thank
you, Block says.
Tell
me more, Brick says.
Whitaker
wants the memorial to the dead soldiers of the Confederate States of
America removed, Block says...Wright concurs, then goes into
hiding...Whitaker spouts off...The mayor hides, never comments...
I
heard Whitaker got upset with a Pilot reporter, Brick says.
He
told the reporter "You have lost all integrity with me; don't
ever call me again.,” Block says.
He
was certainly upset, Brick says. He must have had a bad day.
Every
day is a bad day for him, Block says.
Does
he ever say what he's going to do about the city's crime rate, its
poverty, its homeless population, its drug houses, its mediocre
school system, its real estate taxes...
Who?
Block says.
The
guy who runs Portsmouth, Brick says.
Who?
Whitaker or Wright?
I
know who runs Norfolk, Brick says.
Is
that a trick question?
Mayor
Paul Fraim runs Team Norfolk, Brick says.
Is
that a trick statement?
Who
runs Team Portsmouth?
What
team?
Team
Portsmouth, Brick says.
The
coach runs to the locker room at the first sign of trouble, Block
says.
Who's
in charge then?
I
don't know, Block says.
Is
it Whitaker?
I
don't know, Block says.
Do
you know anything?
No,
Block says.
It
must be politics, Brick says.
No,
it must be the flooding, Block says.
That's
Norfolk, Brick says.
Each
to his own, Block says.