Supper

Concrete came by my place a couple times last week for supper. He does this a few times a week, just stopping in when he is cold or hungry or needs to get away from the other guys. I made him some pork chops I had gotten out for such an occasion and he exclaimed about how good they are. The second time he came I wasn't around but Lisa made him the remaining chop, for which he was grateful. But what he really wanted, he said, was spaghetti. "I'm trying to get you to make up a big bunch of spaghetti", he said the next day. "Lots of meat and green peppers, red peppers, yellow peppers, orange peppers, in a big pot." 

So the next night I dragged my wife and a couple of my catechumens with me and we all made a bunch of spaghetti in the church kitchen, complete with as many different colored peppers as we could find. I had been conflicted about whether to make it at the church so all the Guys could partake or to make it at home where Crete could warm up while he ate (he doesn't go inside churches). When I asked Crete what he'd prefer I was told (as I should have known) "I don't run nothin'."

We pulled the picnic tables under the covered walkway and, along with a bunch of other Guys, all ate outside in the cold with Crete (I usually don't insist on this, but I did this time). Joel and Kenetta did a great job with the food and everybody ate a lot. Most of the Guys packed up a plate or two and took it back to the Hill where the fire was keeping them warm. But a few cold souls ate at the table. Sarah gave Sammie as much petting as she wanted and Joel chatted up Howard, Crete and Eddie over at the other table. Trevor kept Gail company inside and was helpful as usual cleaning things up. 

I hope Concrete knows by these tiny gestures we sometimes make how much he means to us and that he can see that our lives have been changed by his presence. Of course, such a wish falsely presumes that he is as self-centered as I am.