Art has spent most of his sparse dollars on new shirts carrying various Biblical verses on pornography  and homosexuality, including the somewhat infamous Romans 1, verses 22-32, the Biblical condemnation of homosexuality.

He found a printer to print them, and takes cabs and hitches rides to pick them up and pay for them.

He was eager to show them to me and read them to me.

It isn’t what he says,  he told me, but what God says.

He sells his shirts to members of his church, sometimes to people on the street,  and wears them as often as he can around the Mansion. When I ask  him if people get upset, he just twinkled, winks,  and say he has always upset people, it’s what he does.

I asked him if I thought that people sometimes hide behind God, and he looked at me strangely and said nothing.

If he ever stops arguing with people, I know he will miss it.

Art has eye treatment recently and he can now see well enough to read. I am going over some lists of books he might want me to get for him. I am still talking to his son about calling him, so far no luck.

Art came to live in the Mansion from Montana, he wanted to be near his brother before his brother died, and he as. He says he wants to go home, but he also seems drawn to say.

Art wanted to know what I think of his new shirts.

I told him God and I did not speak directly (he hopes to save me from that belief), and that my role at the Mansion was to support him in any  reasonable way, not to argue with him or talk politics or religion.

I have told him I have gay male and women friends and appreciate them.

I said I could not and would not participate in the denigration of anyone. The staff has come to understand Art and appreciate him, they ignore his sometimes bombastic declarations. I am told he can be sweet. He keeps a close eye out for Joan, who has severe memory problems, and often guides her to where she wants to go..

I am quite clear on my role, his personal beliefs are not my business, he will not ever lure me down that path. I smiled at Art when he showed me his new shirts, I said it is very interesting to meet someone who is so passionate about his beliefs.

My job is very clear and Art reinforces it for me. I am not there to only support people I agree with or even like.

I do like Art, and I respect his commitment to his beliefs. The rest is not my business.

I did ask Art if he wishes to have me read some of St. Augustine to him. He said yes, for sure.

Art is perceptive, and although I don’t discuss my religious or social beliefs with him, he intuitively knows how I feel. I don’t know too many people who wear their values on their stomachs. Red doesn’t have much to do with him, and he pats Red on the head but not all that interested in therapy dogs.

Art accepts that in me, and describes as one of his closest friends. I don’t have a lot of friends.

I know he believes he is doing God’s work in every way. I know he is a lonely man who has lived a hard life and is in need of friends and support.

You can write Art c/o Art The Mansion, 11 S. Union Avenue, Cambridge, N.Y., 12816. He will always be honest with you.