A Million Stories

[ a million stories ]

Last Thursday, the Rev. Robin Hynicka of Arch Street United Methodist Church led mourners in a memorial service for "Our Unknown Neighbor" — a mentally ill homeless man who was shot and killed by two Philadelphia Police officers on July 3.

The unidentified man had been repeatedly pressing an emergency call button that morning in a SEPTA concourse, prompting the arrival of two officers. At some point he reportedly pulled a weapon — a box cutter — and, after refusing to drop it, police say he lunged. The officers fired and killed him.

Advocates for the homeless and mentally ill have since raised questions about Philadelphia Police procedure for dealing with such situations (only weeks later, Baron Adams — another homeless man with an apparent history of mental illness — was killed by police after allegedly grabbing and firing an officer's gun). They ask why officers trained to deal with the mentally ill were not called in.

But the purpose of the ceremony, Hynicka stressed, was not to blame but to honor a life: "If we don't remember him," he asked, "who will?"

It seemed astonishing: Christine M. Flowers, the Daily News' own regular right-wing commentator, actually urged her readers last Friday to stop questioning President Obama's citizenship credentials.

Could Flowers — the same Flowers who's blasted public breast feeding, accused black residents of "eulogizing" a cop killer and who recently spoke at one of those "tea parties" here — be losing her edge?

Nah. Flowers knows better than to offer an olive branch without dipping it in poison first. "Whether born in Hawaii, Kenya or a manger in Bethlehem, [Obama] is constitutionally qualified to hold this office," Flowers wrote.

He was born in Hawaii, Christine. But nice try.

Arthur Murray stands out from the young karaoke crowd at McGillin's Olde Ale House in Center City. He's 69, wears a '70s-style tan leather jacket and a well-cropped Afro, he's sober — and he can sing.

Following a drunken, horribly off-key rendition of "Baby Got Back," Murray grabs the mic and croons, performing Shep and the Limelite's "Daddy's Home."

The crowd eats it up. Murray is no stranger here; usually, he shows up for each of the bar's three weekly karaoke nights. "A couple times I've missed," he admits, but "I try to make it my business to go."

For the past five years, he's been one of the few talented, and sober, fixtures of Philly's karaoke scene. He performs everything from Ray Charles to The Temptations — gospel music is his favorite.

And the man has a dream: Murray, who has sung with bands and choirs in the past, wants to start his own band. "You keep trying, and you might get a break," he philosophizes. "Who knows, before I leave this earth I might get the opportunity to sing professionally again."

In the meantime, he'll take what creative outlets he can. "Karaoke is the next best thing from having a band," he says.