Black and white Jesus

I was walking through an abandoned apartment building
stinking rental cages
that my friend has bought
and was about to demolish
African Americans lived in them
now Pilgrims
marked their territory here
through new townhouses
will make a profit on financially able
other Americans

you have to be careful
here
watch out for homeless people with brains damaged by drugs
or people running from law  hiding their past and present faces

once
I came upon a couple sleeping on a mattress
he suddenly stood up
high
took his bird out
pissed on the mattress next to his woman
went back to sleep
on the very spot
I guess I was just some sick white dream to him
the other time
at night
I came upon a man
watching me
hiding behind a pillar
just a shape in the darkness
with a knife in his hand
Puerto Rican
scared
scared means dangerous
but I calmed him down
“relax, I am not the police I am the owner
make sure you don’t set the place on fire ”
he did calm down because of my Polish accent
patient confidence and truth
but I stepped back ready for blood anyway
he hesitated
said
“take it easy
I need two days and I am out of here”
we talked more
I like honesty
never reported the man
on the run

but nothing has prepared me for the place
I was walking through now
two dead people on a cross
each on its own
black rosary and white rosary
on the floor
right in front of me
plastic
but still painful to watch

carefully
I have picked them up
carried to my car
both
hanging on the rear view mirror now

I feel Mexican when I look at them
why do I feel Mexican
because of plastic Jesus?
black and white
for more safety
in case I get into an accident
or I am pulled off
for sudden emergency
of next life