IT'S ALL JUST A BLUR

     I worked yesterday, but I remember little.
     Memories of today are solid but oh, so few. Doug wasted no time this morning asking me to fill out his 13-page employee job description. He needs to turn it in tomorrow. We both knew where the writer in the group was, so I had no reason to deny him the help. After all, the information would come from him, and the writing from me. My wrist is still sore.
     While I wrote, Doug feverishly sacked all the lunches, PBJs and breakfast sacks. He also prepared lunch and served half of it. We had broccoli soup with cheese, crackers and chicken salad. The dining room was very, very quiet. I reminded Doug that Joey used to say "if they're laughing, that's how you can tell if they like it." The food was not well received, and diners were few. The small crowd was odd because it was raining cats and dogs.
     For dinner, Doug made pasta with cream sauce, carrots and a roll. He filled the plates himself while I continued to write.
     Our truck driver came in and helped Doug balance the new refrigerator. He brought his family and they had a meal. The kids from the hotel across the street came for a meal. All together, those people probably cost me 90 minutes of good writing time.
     As the afternoon loomed, Doug became almost frantic. Finally, at 4 o'clock I finished copying all the material we had amassed onto the sheets the company provided, with one additional sheet. I even sent Doug home with a paragraph to add. We were desperate to get out of there and, for the first time ever, I saw the dinner crowd come in—they eat at 4, you know. Buddy had that duty to himself.
     With Doug on vacation all next week, I do not plan to darken the shelter door until Sunday. He won't be there, but I want to take Easter eggs and bunnies for the residents. Easter Sunday has always been a happy time at the shelter, but I'm not expecting great things this year; it's just so different there now.