HALLELUJAH!

       The Sunday kitchen was served with a twist today. Joey was not there! In his stead was Miss Lillian who's been there for ages. There's a plaque with her picture on the wall. Pics of her large colorful family cover the refrigerator door. Miss Lillian. I knew she was around, but we've passed like ships in the night—month after month.

     "You must be Joy," she said.

       She's nice. She's heard about my deviled eggs; says I'm spoiling folks.

       I went straight to work on 26 lunches—52 sandwiches. Lillian buzzed around the deep fryer and cleaned the floors. Because she was using the frier, she was running the loud exhaust fan. Generally, the fan annoys me, but today… today it helped drown out 3 hours of gospel singing and preaching.

       At one point I told Lillian, "That preacher is breaking out in a sweat!"

       On checking the PBJ container, I found it completely empty. "Nothing?" Lillian asked.

       "Not even a bug," I said.

       "Well the sandwiches are already made."

       "Wonderful! I said, "I'll sack them." Twenty-five sacks with drinks, PBJs, cookies, chips, napkin. No problem. Lillian pulled the giant container back into the dining room.

       We served corndogs (again) and fries. There were baked beans for those who got there first. There was a new guy in the pre-release group. He's well-spoken, approaching middle age, and handsome. When he asked for a second plate of food, I gave him a secretive nod, and he took it, as did another man. After all, at least six people weren't coming, and we had more than enough. Then he started schmoozing, "You're a good woman." He wanted to hang around and talk. He mentioned the radio selection, and I said, "Yes, I know. I've been saved and healed right here in this kitchen!"

       The resident homeless  were in great abundance today. Some of them didn't particularly want corndogs and fries. Lillian has no sympathy. "They're not hungry; they're picky!" she complained. Sigh.

       She won't be there next week, but said she was mighty happy that I made those sandwiches for her. Apparently, it's her least-favorite job. Lillian also said that when Joey is not there, the other volunteers don't show up. She was quite surprised that I had come at all, like I would not have come, had I known. She was wrong.

       AMEN!