BLIZZARD

       Map was so out of sorts this morning! I was ready to leave for the shelter long before he’d shoveled what he considered “enough” snow, and he wanted me to drop him off at church on my way to town. Eventually, we put on our smiley faces and headed out—20 miles an hour all the way.

       Mine was the only car to come into the shelter parking lot since the snow began yesterday. Nobody was outside—not even a desperate smoker. The lady who monitors the doors unlocked the kitchen for me. It was nearly 10 o’clock, and Joey had not yet arrived.

       I had to take off my galoshes and extra socks, and change into regular shoes before I could put on an apron and approach the hand-washing sink. It was dark in the kitchen—an “empty” that I’d never seen there before. The radio was blaring, but I couldn’t find our C&W station, so I turned it off. The stove was cold... Where to begin?

       In the walk-in fridge I found tons of Christmas ham and other foods which had been launched a week ago. I put on a giant pot of left-over green beans and shoved several pans of food into the ovens. Joey came in around 11—all bundled up and looking just like the little boy I see in his spirit. He had walked several miles to get there.

       Joey had a huge pot of soup in the fridge that I had not seen (though I could not have lifted it anyway). While the soup warmed, I made dozens of ham sandwiches to go with it. One of the first pre-release guys asked for a piece of cheese. I went in the fridge and brought out a small pack of slices. He asked for an extra one “for his friend.” The next guy wanted cheese too. “You want an extra one for your friend, too?” I asked, and within seconds the word was out: There was cheese, and anybody could have two! When lunch was over, the first fellow came back to the counter to explain that he really did want the second piece for his friend... as if anybody would care... yeah, under his circumstances, maybe somebody would frown on such a situation. Heck.

       Our little gay fellow wanted chips but was gracious when I said I had none. When I found some, his eyes went wide like the moon. He just wanted some chips.

       So, Joey made the highest score in his class on his final exam last week! He’s excited, and he’s getting a new book in January—more spelling, more words. I gave him a 2 x 3-feet world map for Christmas—everybody needs to know where they are. “But I never give you anything,” he complained. I assured him that he gives me a lot, every Sunday.

       My new crush was there, and Joey called him to the counter, “Miss Joy didn’t get a chance to speak to you today, so you need to come up here.”

       I asked him how his 2nd week had gone, and he said it was good and that the time was passing really fast. I said, “Yes, I know. Every time I turn around it’s Sunday and I have to come back up here!” Well, now he knows there’s a little old lady who’ll be watching him and expecting good things.

       Two men were thrown out of the shelter last evening. They were caught sharing a beer in the bathroom. Eight inches of snow with more falling, bitter wind chill... and a beer looked better to them than a warm bed.

       For tonight’s dinner Joey has warned the residents that they’ll be having some déjà vu. In an effort to “rework” the turkey, we froze the fat off of a huge pan of broth, and I made gravy. They’ll have potatoes, beans, and stuffing. I appropriated some of the ham and turkey for sack-lunch sandwiches—anything to get rid of it. Déjà vu for sure. WHO failed that bright, bright child when he had nothing to do but go to school?

       “Miss Joy, I’m wanting to ask you something but I don’t want to ask you.”

       “What? Is it personal? Spit it out, Son!”

       “Well... I don’t have a ride home tonight...”

       Yes, Baby, you have a ride. Map and I will fetch him home.

       When I’d changed back into my galoshes and bundled up, Joey said, “Miss Joy, you look so cute in your galoshes.” Now isn’t that interesting? I thought he was the cute one—all bundled up against the cold.

       Mr. Wilson reminded me to be good. He said this Christmas had been the best one of his whole life.

       When I got back to the parking lot, everybody was outside! You’d think it had snowed or something! They were happy; they were out there just to be IN it.

       I gathered Map from church around 1:45, and we came home—happy people all.