Sharing A Meal

Supper in a church basement for the homeless and hungry of Kenora.  That’s where I ate tonight. And it was good. I’m not a big meat eater but that hamburger was so good as I haven’t had meat for almost a week.  Originally, another teacher and I were going to volunteer. But I decided I needed to stand in line and sit at the tables like everyone else.  I coordinate that particular meal program called Opening our Doors, which was originally at Knox United but moved to St Alban’s when Knox underwent the reins to become the new shelter.   I have highly encouraged volunteers to engage with the folks - and they do!  The goal was to have volunteers grab a meal and sit with the folks and eat but the reality is, we are usually so busy in the kitchen, not enough volunteers or food runs out that this doesn’t happen. But when it does, everyone feels good.  Walls come down, trust grows, relationships are created and Kenora feels like a better place for all.
Sitting there gave me a very different vantage point. And feeling.  I kind of laughed to myself as no one would sit with me initially.  But then a younger guy came and sat at my table, then a few more men.  Interestingly no females joined me but I saw them later on the street when I decide to walk around downtown on my own for awhile.
There is a quiet atmosphere as you wait in line for your food.  Actually, it is often quiet so we put the radio on to add some tunes in the air.  One guy plays the piano really well.
Laughter kicks in.  One lady was arguing with one guy who was acting rudely but he was quickly spoken to.
Another guy came and sat with me. He (not me) brought up lots of subjects to take about like people using meth, bed bugs, people needing to make choices, his 5 kids, wanting to get a job, being good (out of jail) for 10 years, etc etc. He would have talked all night I think. Another guy came and sat with me. Quite drunk but very nice. He put his two fists out for a fist- pump AND I didn’t get it - lol!  Then he said, "this is what we do" and I fist pumped back and we laughed. He had no teeth so he kept laughing behind his hand. A lot of folks can’t eat raw carrots, apples, etc because of teeth issues (or no teeth issues). Another reality of being poor.  He took my hand and started holding it and I thought, "Well, it’s time for me to go”.

One young guy called me ma’am.  Ouch!  But that was ok.  It was all ok, for me.  I think if I had never been involved as a volunteer, this would have been a very unsettling experience.  But it wasn’t.  I wondered why no one asked why I was sitting and eating tonight rather than volunteering. I think they have more pressing things to think about than that.  Like where are they going to sleep tonight, next drink, next hit….. all part of this world. As I was leaving, a woman came in as they were putting the food away.  I asked her if she ate and she said no.  I told her to check if they had any food left.  She looked like she was upset.  I asked if she was ok.  She said she saw a bunch of cops near the bridge (By the hospital I assumed). That’s never a good sign in Kenora as people have tried and committed suicide there. She hadn’t seen her partner tonight.  She asked to call the hospital to check but they couldn’t tell her. I told her not to assume the worst as it didn’t mean that was him.
As I drove home, there were no police at that bridge. That would mean no one was in danger there - then.  This is part of this world. Many of us have no clue.