TURKEY FEATHERS

       The shelter must have served at least two dozen turkeys this week (not a good time to be a turkey around here). Today, Joey was still serving up bird, gravy, rice, and dressing—made me a little green around the gills.

       Speaking of gills, mine were a little green all day yesterday, so I wasn't sure I'd make the cut today, but I lasted two hours, and could have gone farther, but another volunteer came in at noon, and I let her have the rest of the fun.

       We only needed 16 sack lunches, which I turned out fairly quickly. Then Joey nodded toward a half dozen pies and said, "I just don't know how I'm going to get all these pies cut up." Translation: I hate cutting up pies and will you do it? Come to find out, I hate cutting up pies too! But when I finished, there were 60 slices of pie individually wrapped on little styrofoam saucers.

       Mr. Wilson. First I thought Mr. Wilson was in the pre-release program. Then, when nobody could remember who the morbidly obese man is, I decided he was a "resident." Then, he went missing for two Sundays, and answers to my queries seemed to say he'd left. Listen up: Mr. Wilson is a pre-release. He's just as jolly as ever, he never fails to remind me to "be good," and he cares no more for his personal health than he ever did. My mind wanders into a fog, trying to imagine how Mr. Wilson came to be a prisoner in the first place.

       Speaking of pre-release, Cutie Pie was outside this morning when I arrived. I hadda get a hug and admonish him for smoking. Lord, Child, that boy's dimples would cave in Queen Victoria.

       I served all of them today, asking each his or her name, and I realized for the first time that each of them had experienced being arrested, strip searched, and incarcerated—I had mental images of those realities. It's hard to embrace the facts when I see them on Sunday mornings—people like me—young, old, hopeful and not. Some of their faces have no clues about their situations; others are suffering. And remember that preacherman fellow who was there the first time I worked with Miss Lillian? Remember that he remarked about the preaching that was going on in the kitchen, and that I told him I'd been healed and saved right there in that kitchen that very morning? He's still there! I heard him talking to Joey about his upcoming preaching plans—he's actually got something lined up! Just gives me the heebie jeebies.

       Speaking of Miss Lillian and preaching, the volunteer who came today said she'd been there yesterday, working with Lillian. I asked her what radio station was playing, and she said R&B. Apparently, there isn't a day when I'd not suffer while working with Lillian. Then again, it's not about me.