Click here for part one and part two.
A Unique Way to Earn a Living
I had been living on Wavecrest for a couple of days. Grandma and Papa Bear made me feel like I was truly part of the family. Even though I’d met everyone else, I still didn’t feel comfortable enough to be at ease with the others yet. Amethyst, the musician, said I could set up next to him Saturday and we could play together on the Boardwalk. He wanted to see how it would go and Saturdays are the best days to make money. He didn’t want me to get discouraged on slower days and give up. I tried to explain giving up wasn’t in my vocabulary, but because it was his spot, I respected his decision.
The Family’s vendor booths, where they displayed their wares, occupied one block south of Brooks Drive. It was in front of the building where a new Starbucks was opening. Everyone looked forward to that. More customers would be mingling around, which meant more money coming in.
The building used to house the Freak Show but that extravaganza closed down a few months before I got there. Bear had his marijuana display, Amethyst played his music, Ana displayed her art, and Tee displayed various art from other people.
Deuce had the last display.
He was called the Mannequin Man and his display was quite unique.
His draw was for people walking the Boardwalk. He set up mannequins for people to sign and/or decorate. He displayed other mannequins in certain postures to be viewed as artwork. It was like walking past a museum display only with horror as the theme. He’d acquire new pieces from some of the stores on the Boardwalk. The shops would donate unneeded mannequins, so Deuce always had an endless supply of mannequins.
One time he sold a piece for $150.
We were all surprised. That day he brought everyone pizza, marijuana, beer and a bottle of something hardcore to drink for those who wanted. We partied most of the night after that sale. A huge fight broke out with four strangers who tried to invade the party. The men ganged up on them and beat ‘em to a pulp before they ran away. The cops came in after it was all done and no one was arrested. That ended the party of course.
The night I got to know Deuce was a quiet one.
Every night, when he returned after sunset, he would form his mannequins into sort of a wall separating Wavecrest Street from the Boardwalk for a couple of hours before putting them away. I was curious and asked, “Hey, Deuce, why do you set up your mannequins like this?”
When I asked this question, I was standing on the Boardwalk side. There was enough space available to pass through for everyone putting away their wares. He replied, “Here, step through the mannequins.”
So, I stepped through onto Wavecrest Street. It was funny but I felt more at ease instantly. I don’t know if it was because he’d directed me to, and I was in a sort of frame of mind, or what. He continued, “Do you feel that?”
“Wow, that was weird.”
“Not weird at all. We’re protected here. The bad spirits will leave us alone for the night. You can feel it, everybody can. That’s why this is the safest place to stay here on the Beach.”
It opened my eyes to another way of thinking. Deuce was very odd, but kind of magical in a way.
“How did you get into this kind of art?” I asked him.
“I don’t know, it just kind of happened. One day I was playing with a mannequin I had found in the dumpster behind a store up the way. I pulled out my knife and started carving it, and I used a marker to decorate it. Next thing I knew, it just grew into a thing. Now it’s just what I do.”
“Before that, what did you do to survive out here?”
“Shoot, I use to steal, sell drugs, whatever. I couldn’t go back to that life. God moved me to this, I’m sticking to it.”
“But your art is so dark, you think God moved you to it?”
“Yep. God moves everybody, don’t you know that? You should, you’ve only fallen one time.”
“What does that mean, fallen one time.”
“Most of us have been here before. I’ve fallen maybe three times, Bear over there maybe five or six. Grandma is ancient, but you, you’ve only fallen one time. You’ve never been here before, that’s why your light shines pretty bright. I’m glad you’ve come here to be with us.”
And with that, he scooted over to talk to Bear.
From that day on, we became friends.
He drank a lot, and sometimes he’d scare me with how he carved his mannequins. It was like he had to exercise a demon or something with his knife. But at least he’d carve mannequins, not people. It was pretty violent. But knowing that he was part of our family added to the mystique of it all.
In talking to Deuce, I understood that homeless people were not at all what normal people thought. Each person was unique just as in every other group.
I was new to the Wavecrest Family, and I hadn’t seen the bad side of it yet. Somehow, I felt safe knowing that the mannequins guarded us. Deuce added another aspect to my perspective. His message, though odd, did ring true. I looked forward to learning more about him and the rest. I would no longer prejudge them too harshly. This was a new learning experience for me.
