23rd and Dexter by Jack Farrar

I met Shabazz recently at Spinelli’s Bakery. Shabazz moved to Denver four months ago from Florida to live with his girlfriend. He likes Park Hill and says it reminds him of Brooklyn, where he grew up. “I like the layout of the neighborhood, the feel.” He’s a private tutor and helps students with reading comprehension, algebra and math. He also does some “Ubering.” Shabazz wrote down “King Arthur” when I asked him what fictional character he would like to have sitting next to him. “You know that just came to me because the building across the street looks a little like a castle, and I’ve used the Knights of the Roundtable in some of my reading lessons,” he says. “They represent justice.” What would he ask King Arthur? “How does it feel to wear the crown? Can I hold your sword? Could you take me on a tour of Camelot?”