SUNDAY LADY, WHY DON'T YOU GO TO CHURCH?

      First, I want to apologize to those who may have tried to access the blog and been denied. Some cyber gremlin did it, I swear. Anyway, I have opened it again to the world—so let them read.

       Gatekeeper today was two enormous fellows I've never seen before. One of them occupied the official chair, and the other apparently was there to keep the first one company. It IS impossible to gain passage around the work table when either of those fellows is in the kitchen, so I was glad they only came in a time or two for coffee.

       Anyway, the head keeper told me that Joey wasn't in yet, but that Brenda was! Oh! I had counted on beating her to the work table. Feeling trumped, I headed down the hall, and it hit me: why don't I just offer to HELP Brenda make her PBJs and then she can leave? What an idea! Godly, even…

       When she let me in, I made so nice… and when I offered to help, she happily, humbly, accepted. We had to fill the big rolling tub with PBJ lunch sacks for the street people (25 sacks). Each sack had 2 PBJ sandwiches, a bag of chips, a cookie, and a soft drink. Brenda has a system for assembling them, so I got in line and we got the job finished in no time. I had told her that I'd be needing the prep table for my lunch preparations.

       After we finished the PBJ sacks, Brenda found another work area and began making more PBJ sandwiches to store in a box for the next day. Her reason for suddenly appearing in the kitchen on my day is that the woman who usually helps her is on a month's vacation. Before long, we both had softened a bit, and by the time I left, I liked her! It's true that she will not touch a diet drink (with artificial sweeteners) or anything with MSG, etc. She makes all of her own bread. She freeze dries squash and zucchini for soups. She'd probably gag on a glass of wine. But she's a good egg.

       Mr. Huggy limped into the kitchen very early today. "You looked peakéd!" I said.

       "Well, I ought," he said. "I just got out of the hospital." I'm thinking he JUST got out, as in hours ago. He did not perform any duties.

       I had spread my fresh vegetables all over the work table by that time and was doling them out into 51 little bowls: each bowl had a bit of cauliflower, broccoli, carrot, celery, cucumber, squash, tomato, and one black olive. Huggy waited there as I made a bowl especially for  him (some of the veggies are not on his to-do list). "You love doing this, don't you?" he asked. Silly man.

      He took a sack lunch and his bowl of veggies and went home. It's worrisome that heart attacks and blood pressure can be so sneaky. Maybe he could use a prayer or two.

       Joey and I had never decided what to make for lunch today, other than my fresh veggies served with ranch dressing. We were going to deep fry some chicken fingers, but when I got there Joey said Miss Lillian had served fried chicken yesterday, it was all consumed, there were no leftover plates, he didn't think the people would be happy with chicken two days in a row, and he didn't know what we were going to serve.

       We finally settled on boiled hot dogs, buns, baked beans, and the fresh vegetables. Joey put the dogs and beans on, and I had nothing to do but wait for serving time, so I went back to help Brenda who was again working at the prep table. We sacked 25 more PBJ lunches.

       Joey had told me that we'd have a full house today, including the pre-release. They aren't allowed to leave the building this weekend because there's a crowd fest in town, and too many opportunities to break the rules. To my disappointment, only about 10 of the 17 came to lunch. Nearly all of them ate the veggies (a few asked for seconds), and several threw their hot dogs in the trash. The woman who can't eat wheat asked Joey to please get her pizza out of the fridge… 

       Vegan-heifer didn't show.

       There's a new guy—"older gentleman" with white hair. Big fellow. Joey introduced us. Looks can be so deceiving. I guess in time I'll come to understand how he got in trouble. Phil's propensity to trouble is certainly coming to light. His "attitude" is showing sometimes—kind of cocky. Still, I like the boy, and I wish all of them well.

       Serving that group took only 5 minutes, so I went back to Brenda's table, and we made up 30 sack lunches for the residents! She was most appreciative of the help—she'd been there since quite early, and works like a Trojan, occasionally nibbling on a chocolate (we all have our weaknesses).

       When 12 o'clock arrived, the residents came in… 2, 3, 6, 10… and then I saw the line! It stretched to the door and out into the hall. "Joey!" I called, "I need help!" Our serving counter holds only about 10 plates, and I had not prepared them fast enough. Brenda put down her sandwiches and came to help dish up the food. Her eyes nearly popped out when she saw the line. In the long time she's worked there, I guess she'd never worked during "feeding time," because that line was shocking.

       That group's lunch was a great success. They especially loved the vegetables. My 6-year-old loved them most, I think. I had prepared just a few of them for her, so we could have a vegetable lesson. I went out and sat beside her. I picked up a tiny cauliflower and said, "This is a flower."

       "I know," she said. She did not know that the broccoli was also a flower, but she told me exactly what happens to them if you don't pick them—they go to seed. She loved all the vegetables in her bowl, dipping her tomato in the dressing, eating it slowly and with great relish.

       Her parents have found work! When I asked them, the child piped up, "YES! He's got two jobs, and she's got one!" Dad does have two positions, and Mom has a grant to return to school. They are so pleased with these events, and I'm so happy for them. In a week or two, I'll be missing them. I gave the little one a Beanie Inchworm today. She loves it.

       Our 2-year-old was there as well. Her mother can be awfully cold. The child, too, withholds reactions. I gave her a little Beanie, and she snuggled it under her arm, but there was no surprise, no joy, no nothing on her face. Joey says the child's mother locks her in their room (in her crib), and goes to the dining room to eat. I can understand Mom's needing some time alone, but surely there is an alternative to that.

       The little girls and their mothers were the last to leave the dining room. My 6-year-old came to the counter and asked, "Sunday Lady, why don't you go to church?"

       I felt smugly secure with my answer, "Oh, I couldn't be here if I went to church!"

       She never missed a beat, "They have early church, you know."

      After 3 hours, I was SO ready to leave, but Brenda had just a few more sacks to pack, and then… and then someone donated a bag of fresh squash. "Joey! Why don't you cook these for dinner?"

       There was a stash of fresh squash in the cooler too, and you know that preparing fresh vegetables is not on Joey's or Miss Lillian's list. I could so see all those beautiful squash going to waste. So I put my apron back on and put about 3 gallons of chopped squash in a pot with salt, pepper, onions and butter. They were simmering when I left, and I threatened Joey severely if he let them burn. Brenda jumped in and promised me she would not let that happen.

       Church. Amen.