THINGS PEOPLE SAY

     Doug and Crazy were hot on the trail of lunch prep, dinner prep and sandwich making when I arrived at 10:00. Within 3 minutes, Hottie slid into the kitchen. Gosh, I hope my drooling hasn't given me away.
     I settled in at the work table, made four dozen meat sandwiches, and sacked a dozen breakfast bags. Those things will put Doug's sandwich prep ahead by a day. He's coming down with stomach flu and won't be in tomorrow… bless his heart.
     For lunch, a huge pot of potato soup was simmering, and the plan was to serve crackers and corndogs on the side. For dinner, there was a huge pot of green beans, two large pans of scalloped potatoes, four pans of meatloaf and 40 rolls. There was leftover potato soup as well. People from the street still come to the shelter on cold nights. They are given a meal and a place to sleep. Crazy says I would not believe how awful those halls smell in the mornings.
     I had time to survey the guests today. The fancy lady, I see from her chart, has resided there for months. I do wonder what her plan is. The other striking solo lady (the one who talks via invisible Bluetooth) comes to the counter before lunch and just stands there, staring into the kitchen. We don't know why. Another lady came several times for ice. Crazy tells me a lot of the residents come often for ice because it helps them get through the days when they don't have drugs.
     The little girl and her mother were not at lunch, but the teen boy and his mom were. The boy came for a second plate and said, "You're beautiful." Yes, I considered the source, but it was still nice to hear. His mom, I noticed, is in need of some dental care. She and Crazy were bantering when I heard her say, "Don't give me that thinin' thmile and tharcathtic look!" I hadda go write it down before it got away. How to thpell it wath an ithue.
     Hottie wandered back in about midway thru my shift. He was wearing a striking pair of horn-rimmed glasses. I'd never seen him in glasses. He began to fix himself a bowl of soup, and I said, "Can I make you a plate?"
     "Oh, no ma'am!" he answered.
     Ouch.
     After lunch, Crazy, Doug and I made up 40 dinner plates and put them in the warming oven. Hottie will serve them this evening. Seems like the gatekeepers never go home.
     The guys were as chatty as ever, but lately I've spent more time with them, so I hear more. Word was—when I left there in 2016—I was afraid of Crazy and Mr. A (true), and I thought Doug was pilfering from the pantry (not true). Mr. A was spreading untruths, and it was HE who told ME (just this year when I saw him in a store) that I should not go back there because it was "very bad." In fact, they say he had left only about 2 weeks after I did! Of course, it was a while before Crazy got his act together, but heck, I could have gone back 2 years ago. I suppose there is a good underlying reason for those circumstances, but how I missed the place!
     Doug's child got a little critter for Christmas. His account of the thing, its cage and behaviors was most amusing. It would appear that he enjoys it as much as the child does. His holiday report held no mention of sadness. Around 1:30, I took my pint of potato soup and signed out.