TOO MUCH AND TOO LITTLE

     Minutes after I arrived, Doug got two phone calls and left me alone with barely a hello. He was waylaid long enough for me to make 40 PBJs and sack them with drinks, chips and a napkin. THEN I was let in on the conversations. Doug's new boss asked him to be the gatekeeper and the cook today. That is a stretch because the "gate" and the kitchen are at opposite sides of the building. Richard, our usual gatekeeper, had been there all night and until late this morning, so the boss told Richard to go downstairs and sleep because he'll be keeping that gate again tonight. Furthermore, Major God had called to ask Doug to provide lunch for his whole church congregation.
     We did have an abundance of donations, with more on the way. So Doug put two large pans of fried chicken in the oven, a large pan of asparagus in the steamer, and potato salad on the prep table. As time passed, and the food was not collected, Doug was told that Major's wife was going to pick it up, but a lady had asked Wife to pray with her… and they were still taking care of that.
     When I left at 2:00, the foods had not been collected and church was long-since over. No one called to change the plan or to apologize; nor will he ever.
     For lunch we served BBQ, coleslaw and baked beans to a modest crowd, including two fellows from the hotel across the street. Doug was gone about half the time, checking on the gate.
     Kevin's area was clean when I arrived, and I only saw him briefly when he came to the back door for a drink. (I still think something's wrong with his legs; God only knows.)
     By 1:00, Doug's boss had come to relieve him of the gate, and we cleaned the kitchen for the night.
     The Hostile One checked herself out of the shelter; we're all glad to be relieved of her issues. Those who came to lunch were calm and quiet. Doug said they didn't like the food. Maybe he was right. It was eastern barbecue, and not recognizing that, Doug had dumped red barbecue sauce in it. No, I didn't give that a taste test.
     Tonight's dinner plates were filled with Salisbury steak 'n gravy, mac 'n cheese, Brussels sprouts with carrots, and a roll. The pantry, the freezer, the walk-in fridge and the big wall fridge are overflowing with donations, as are boxes stacked in the pantry and other places where they block our paths. I couldn't even step into the walk-in fridge…
     There was no joie de vivre in the kitchen today, as The Powers had left a pall on the place from the start of our morning. I suppose we can make up for it next week.
     I had to ask Doug to see me to my car this afternoon because a stranger with an expensive bicycle was rummaging through our dumpster. Doug just approaches scary situations with, "Hey, Buddy, can we help you?" Nope. Buddy and his bike scurried away.