The Church Lady

I was walking home through Tompkins Square Park tonight when I saw this gathering of people, and heard a woman's voice telling her listeners that terrorist attacks were not terrorism, they were war, and that this was to be expected in… The End Times™.

I approached them with my camera ready, just to get a crowd shot, when the guy with his hand up started telling me I couldn't take pictures.

No paparazzi, please.

"Sure I can," I said. "It's a public space, I can take pictures."

"No you can't," he said. "She said no pictures."

I moved to the right and took this picture, as he told to people to stop me (who didn't, of course):

Jesus love you. This I know. For the Bible tells me so.

I continued on my way after that. She was going on about how they would be protected, the way God protected Noah. Pretty slim chances there! It was all Old Testament stuff — the angry, vengeful God. I heard her tell someone "Put out that cigarette," in a stern voice.

I was going to head home, and then I thought I'd get another shot from the other angle, without anyone waving canes at me.

When I got to the other side I heard her say "What? Who's taking pictures? Put out that camera."

She went back into her spiel — she didn't seem at all concerned that anyone was taking pictures, and I left with this:

"Am I too late for the dog parade?"

Tree worshipers! Punk rockers! End-Timers! It's all one big party here in the East Village!