SMALL STUFF

      Lunch at the shelter today was without special event. I am not complaining. Mr. A. was at home and didn't feel well. Helpful Guy (pzzzt) was right there. Doug said Helpful has been TOLD to keep a low profile. My purse remains locked in the car, and the keys in my pocket.

       Just to give you an idea of how Helpful's brain works: around mid-morning our one wheelchair resident motored to the kitchen for some ice. "Can I have some ice for my cup?" she asked.

       Helpful said, "What?"

       "I want some ice for my cup," she repeated.

       "You want what?" he pushed.

       I was THIS CLOSE to snatching him bald! There's no excuse to taunt a sickly, old woman in an electric wheelchair, but that's Helpful's version of a sense of humor…

       We have a two new babies. One is 2 months old, very tiny (according to Doug), and the child of a very young woman. The other was born this week (I served his mother last week), and they will be returning to the shelter tomorrow from hospital. On Doug's advice, I left a musical wind-up plush toy with the wheelchair lady, to give the 2-month-old.

       The 12-year-old girl came to the dining room mid-morning, I assume in hopes of receiving her toy, because she did not come to lunch (no clue why). I gave her the toy, and she told me about school. It was the first time we've had a chance to chat. I like her.

       We had my soup, the death-in-a-tub chicken salad, and fruit for lunch. For dinner, Doug is making BBQ chicken, salad, rolls, and mashed potatoes.

       So we had a good day, all-in-all. Doug will be away on vacation for the next two Sundays. His request was initially denied because Miss Lillian refused to fill in for him, but the shelter managed to make other arrangements when Doug refused to change his schedule. The boy is beginning to man-up to those dweebs. I'm proud of him.