The Food Pantry. (A Short Story)

"Well, we are busy tonight, Merl!"

"You're right about that Cathy", replied Merl. "Still see people losing jobs around our town. The more layoffs, the more people come through our food line in need of help. Never seen it so full in my 6 years here on the food line."

Merl and Cathy volunteer at a local food shelter in a growing midwest town.
The needy customers are coming in the door, signing up, and slowly walking past helpers like Merl and Cathy, who hand the food out. Customers then place their goods in shopping carts, and push them on to the next food volunteer for more food types.

"I'll get this one, Merl," stated Cathy. "Hello. Potatoes tonight? 3 per person for each one in your family."

"Yes, thank you," replied a customer regular, showing tiredness from her full work day. Now at 6:00 pm in the evening, and still not yet home, it is her final stop for the evening.

"Carrots?"

"Yes, one bag please."

"Beans?"

"Yes. Thank you."

"Say Cathy, I heard you brought your granddaughter along tonight", stated Merl.

"Sure did, Merl."
"Emma. Oh Emma! Please come over here to grandma and meet someone I know."
"Emma, this is Merl. He works with me every Monday night."

"Hi Emma", said Merl. "That's a pretty name you've got there, and a great smile to go along with it."

"Hi Mr. Merl. Thank you Mr. Merl. Oh Grandma, can I help with the potatoes?"

"Maybe you can later, Emma. For now though, stay close to me so you don't get lost."

The line continues past Cathy's station. The line is long, and walking by each food item placed out on the counter tops, which are stationed in rectangular fashion; Customers are inside the counters with helpers on the outside, allowing for additional food boxes to be stationed just behind the volunteers.

"Hi. Potatoes? Carrots? Beans?", Cathy asked the next customer in line. "There you go. See you next week."

"Oh, thank you so much! God bless the Food Pantry and you people who serve us", replied another grateful customer.

"Say, Merl, did our "Lydia in the long dress" come through yet tonight? Wouldn't want to miss her," Cathy said, teasingly.

"Yeah, I did see her earlier. Let me think. I believe she was second in line, leading a woman through with dark shades and bushy grey-blue hair."

"Oh Merl, that must have been Evelyn. Her eye sight is getting worse you know. Poor dear. She must need help picking out her food. Lucky for Evelyn our Lydia happened in at the same time as she did."

"Well, Cathy, what a blessing that Lydia shows up every week. My, she's either pushing someone's wheelchair, or carrying their bags, or...."

Cathy breaks in to comment more.

"And Merl, she's one to notice, her wearing such a long pleated dress trailing over the floor. Even on our hottest days. She's a little eccentric I think. And...by the way. Unusual things do happen when she's here. Remember last week when Lydia appeared out of nowhere to get that child's teddy? No one could find it. Poor child was screaming his head off."

"Oh, I've noticed it too, Cathy. Why, the teddy was an old raggedy thing when the kid came in. Except when Lydia gave it back to him, why it was as clean and fresh, come to think of it, like right from the store."

"Oh pssst, pssst, Cathy. Here's Lydia coming through a second time."

"Hi Lydia," said Merl.

"Hi Cathy. Hi Merl," waved Lydia.

"Oh Lydia, Merl and I we were talking about you. You must have ringing ears by now. We were commenting on how you seem to know where the help is needed most every Monday night. And are you carrying the groceries for this man tonight?"

"Yes I am, Cathy. Larry here, took a wrong turn as he came in the door. I thought I would stay with him through the line."

"Hi Larry, I'm Merl. Potatoes tonight Larry? Carrots? Well there you go. Bye Larry. Have a good evening, Lydia."

The line of needy families continues through the food line. At each station, another volunteer  hands out food types from milk and potatoes, to peppers, meats, and canned goods.

"I've got this one, Merl. Hi Rosa, how's the baby tonight? May I peek?"

"Oh, she asleep now," Rosa softly offered, in her short English.

Some of the volunteers are familiar with a few foreign words. Clients who are not well versed in English do tend to know a few words, and together, both customer and volunteer communicate the foods available this evening.

"How old is she, Rosa?"

"She 4 months."

"Such a peaceful baby. You are lucky. Well I sure was not. Why, 2 of my 3 kids would cry if I took them out this late in the evening,when they were your child's age."

"Bananas tonight, Rosa?"

"Si, Gracious."

"It is 2 per person for each family tonight, Rosa. Here you go. And cucumbers?"

"No. No Cucumber."

"Beans?"

"Si, Gracias."

"You and the baby take good care now, Rosa. See you next week."

Suddenly, much commotion is heard from the front door area. Someone or something has fallen to the floor, and the sound is heard over the entire food line. The noise is coming from Charlie Hanson's receiving desk. Soon, Charlie is seen walking  away from the commotion.

"Oh my god! What crashed down, Merl?" asked Cathy. "Anyone get hurt? Oh Charlie! Charlie, there you are. Come over here. What just happened by your front door?"

Charlie arrives a short while later to explain. "It was old man Franklin, Cathy. He was talking, then grabbed for his chest and fell over. Hit his head hard. Bang! I guess he'll be okay though. Well, I've got to get back. But you know the darndest thing happened."

"What do you mean, Charlie?"

"When Franklin fell... God, no life in his eyes. We thought the old man had gone to heaven for sure! But then Lydia swoops by, holds his hand, and he jumps back up like a pogo stick! Starts to chatter again as if he enjoys banging his head on that floor. And not even a lump on the noggin to show for it."

"For heaven's sake, Charlie," said Cathy, "Lydia's gone through the line with someone for the second time already tonight. And now you're saying she has time to watch the front entrance?
Whew! Like some miracle worker how she gets around."

"Well, what a saint she is just for being here each week," noted Merl. "Wish more like her would find this place. It's overwhelming at times. All the people in need. And for the last few months at least, we can count on Lydia to keep the line going. The faster they come through, the quicker we'll get out of here tonight."

"Hey Cathy! Cathy! Look over there on the line," boasted Merl. "Check out who's finishing up with Larry and his groceries. Why it's your Emma! I wonder who's helping whom? She's too short to even reach over the counter."

"Goodness, I'm surprised, Merl. And just how did she get away from me?"

"Emma, Emma," voiced Cathy.  "Are you helping Larry?"

"Yes I am, grandma. That nice woman Lydia asked me to. She asked me to help Mr. Larry when the other man fell down. Lydia said it was okay that I leave you for awhile."

"Lydia said it was okay to leave me? Hmmm. Well, alright Emma. But come right back to grandma once Larry has his groceries."

"Sure grandma."

A few more minutes pass without interruption. Emma will finish her help on the line and return to Cathy.

"Cathy, here comes your granddaughter back," mentioned Merl. "Give her heck for not staying with you."

"Hey grandma. Lydia sure is nice to me!"

"Oh, you've been talking much with her? Why she barely says a word to us, Isn't that right Merl? But a sweet woman she is though. Now stay by me the rest of the night. You shouldn't be with the customers. I want you on this side of the aisle with me."

"Oh grandma, Lydia is funny. May I go see her again sometime?"

"Lydia? And why is she funny, Emma?"

"'Cause I saw something about her and her dress."

"What did you see?"

"I saw Lydia.... when I saw Lydia.. Ha ha. I just couldn't..."

At this point, Emma was flushed with her news, and could not quite get started on her story.

"Well, please go on, Emma. What is it you're trying to tell me?"

"I saw Lydia when she bent over to help that man up. Well grandma, Lydia did not have any feet under her dress. No feet at all. No shoes, no toes, no feet. She wasn't standing on the floor."

"What are you rambling on about, child? No feet? Lydia and no feet?"

"Oh, Merl and Charlie! Won't you come listen to my grandchild's news."

Both men walk over to hear Emma's speak. Now all 3 are huddled in a circle to listen in.

"Alright, go ahead, Emma. Repeat to Merl and Charlie what you told me about Lydia."

"Sure Grandma. Lydia bent way over to help that man and then her long dress flew up in the air like this (Emma bends down and motions with one hand in a flipping direction behind her back). And I saw under her dress. And she didn't have feet under her dress! I told her she was different because she didn't have feet like I do. But grandma, she pressed her finger over her mouth, straight up, like this, and said shissssh, and smiled at me. And winked at me too."

Now it was Charlie's turn to speak.

 "What? No feet? And I suppose she floats her way in here each night too! Oh geez mageez! Now where is Lydia anyway? Why, she'll get a kick out of the story Emma just told us. And, besides, we need to thank her for helping Franklin. But I think first I'll make up a "Badge of Merit" for her to wear the rest of the week."

"I'll do you one better, Charlie, replied Merl. We'll write on it, "Lydia. Miracle Worker of the Month"!"

"Ha ha ha," chuckled Cathy. "You two, you'd never get her to wear it. Her being so quiet and all. Why, the pin alone would put a wrinkle into her perfectly pressed dress. Well there, now I'm doing it too- picking on her."

"By the way, Emma," puzzled Merl, which way did Lydia go the last time you saw her?"

"Hmm, she went straight down that hallway, Mr. Merl. She never even looked back at me again.
Just asked me to help the man and then she left me by myself. Yeah, she went down that hall."

"Shoot," replied Charlie. "There's nothing down the hall but a locked door at the end.
And the door leads to a store room. But let me take look. What in tarnation is happening here tonight?"

Charlie walks out of sight, heading toward the hallway. A few minutes later he returns to inform Cathy, Merl, and Emma.

"What did you find there?" asked Merl. "Any sign of "No feet Lydia"?"

"Nawh, she ain't anywhere to be found back there," pronounced Charlie. "What a night," he continues. "Emma claims Lydia floats. And now we're admitting she can sail through locked doors. All I know is, first thing tomorrow, I might need to get my head examined. And maybe you all better come with me!"

Cathy shook her head and grinned. "Oh, wait just one minute, Merl and Charlie. Need we continue our thought process and call this what it is? We are admitting Lydia may not be one of us," she said, chuckling.

"I think maybe we are," stated Merl, "Because I can tell you two that I have yet to see Lydia get into a car when we all leave at night. That's 6 months running. Never intended to mention this. Not being loose in the head myself you know. Doesn't even take a sidewalk. Moves on out over the lawn and gone. But...Oh well. Just forget I even mentioned this. Forget about it."

"Fine, fine, forget about it. Let's not get ahead of ourselves here," reminded Charlie. "I ain't a goin' any further with your heavenly thoughts, Cathy and Merl."

The line of people does not show a sign of waning, and the discussion about Lydia ends. All seems to be going smoothly once again.

"I'll get this one," said Merl. "Hi. Potatoes? Carrots?

"Oh Merl," Cathy stated, "Wait up, Now we've got sweet corn too. Merl, help me get this sweet corn bag up closer to the counter."

"Sure can. And there you go young fella," said Merl. "See you again next week. Ah, it's good to be busy tonight with all the chatter going on."

The line continues, with Merl and Cathy interchanging between handing out and getting food stuff up to the counter. Charlie looks on a for few minutes more before beginning to return to the front door area.

But just then, another line helper, Milly, hurriedly arrives from the far end of the food line. She walks directly over to stop Charlie in his tracks, still being within ear shot of Merl and Cathy.

"Why hello Milly," said a surprised Charlie. "What brings you over to Cathy and Merl's humble produce line from your canned goods?"

"Oh, hi everyone. Say, Charllie, someone mentioned you were looking for Lydia!"

"Sure, that's correct. And just where did she fly off to anyway?"

"Why, kind, quiet Lydia? Your Lydia is outside by our front entrance. As a matter of fact, a customer just came in claiming she was floating up over the cars and playing on a harp!"

Charlie stopped talking, then straightened his back, while at the same time, letting his jaw drop down, pinching his shirt button.

"Wa-wait!" Charlie stammered. "She's floating? Sh-she's pla-playing on a har-harp? A harp..., I ne-need to sit-down. Short of bre-breath. A little...rest."

"Oh my god, Charlie!,Charlie!," a now physically shaken Milly shouts out. "Are you alright, Charlie? Why, really, we are only joking with you. We don't know where Lydia went off to. Oh my. We haven't seen her for some time. Oh blessed you, Charlie! That ol' Merl asked me to say Lydia was outside floating and playing the harp. Merl put me up to it!"
"Dear, dear," continued Milly. "Are you going to be alright Charlie? Oh for god's sakes, Merl! Look what we did to poor Charlie."

"Oh-oh-oh. A joke," stammered Charlie. "I...will...be...fine. Just that, whatever life left in me that God had blessed me with til now, that much time has just been cut in half for sure."
"Why Merl you SOB!" warned Charlie. "I'll get you back for this, you SOB! When I can breathe sober again. I'll get you back, you son of a gun."

"Hee hee ha ha," barrel laughed, Merl. "But not as good as I got you Charlie! Hee hee ha ha! Float'n and play'n on a harp! Not as good as I got you! When you said you were going to get your head examined, I couldn't resist putting my plan into action. Ha ha."
"Now Charlie, you're going to be okay aren't you?" Merl questioned once more.
"Cathy, Ol' Charlie's going to be fine, right?"
"Milly, tell him again how we were just kidding."
"Charlie? Charlie? Why, you're still white as a sheet! What a night. What a night!"

The End.