WHERE ARE THE ROOMS?

       It appeared that Doug was working alone, when I arrived this morning. That was wrong. THREE guys were helping him; one at the moment, and two who came a short while later. Of course, BOB was among them. So there was one to clean out the walk-in freezer, and one to keep us entertained, and one to help the entertainer as well as check off names of diners. I'm not sure what Doug was doing, but he had already put a ton of chicken pot pie on the ovens, and I did come home with a container of that!
       Doug let me into the pantry, and we chose 26 cans of vegetables and chicken for the soup, planning to feed about 50 souls. We added 2 or 3 cups of macaroni and that much brown rice to the finished soup. THIS is a bona fide FULL pot of soup:

       Among the pre-release is a new fellow who hadn't seen his toddlers in a very long time. They didn't know him, and the older one cried with a shrill whine about as often as he gleefully shouted, "Daddy!" He just wasn't sure how to respond, but Dad gave the child his best effort. After watching them for more than an hour, I remembered a creepy fuzzy spider toy in my bag. The toy had a velcro opening in its belly where a child can hide a small treasure like a special rock or a few coins. I gave the spider to the little boy (he wasn't keen on it at first), and I gave a pack of bubble gum to Daddy. If the child wanted to interact, perhaps Daddy would put a piece of gum in the secret spider pocket. I hope they played the game, and I hope for great success for all of them.
       After nearly 3 hours of cooking and serving, I checked the soup pot to find about 3/4 of a gallon left, but it was thick. We need leftover soup in winter for the people who come in to sleep on the floor at night. So Doug gave me the key, and I went back to the pantry to get more tomato sauce, to thin the soup. Passing thru the lobby, I saw a tiny "old" woman with a cane. I assumed she'd come in to rest, as she doesn't live there. Then, on my way back to the kitchen, I passed the woman in the hall. She had on a white mask (the kind used to prevent spreading germs), but it was only tied around her neck. She stopped me, "Do you know how to get back to the rooms?"
       Honestly? I think I do, but I've never been back there. I suggested she try the glass doors to her right OR that she ask the gatekeeper…
       Next, I asked Doug about the woman, and he told me that gatekeeper had obviously felt sorry for her and maybe assumed she wanted food. We're getting lax about helping those starving homeless, I tell ya!

P.S. The tiny woman made her way to the dining room and ate a whole plate of food. It's balmy today, and tonight is predicted to be a pleasant 28°. What will happen to this tiny soul in Wednesday night's 7°? My grandmother was just about that size—less than 5 feet tall and 85 pounds soaking wet—but never so lost.