Chapter 2: Helping

Sarah learns more about Leonard and Edgar

Working the dish bin area and dessert/drink table is fun. And hard work. We ask patrons to scrape their plates and sort them.  One large gray dish tub for large plates and bowls, another for smaller dishes, including cups and mugs and a smaller one for flatware. The dishes are old and heavy, the off-white kind that look like they belong at a cheap buffet.

“People’re preddy good at clearin’ the dishes,” Edgar says, “jus’ need remindin’ sometimes.”

I smile at him. So embarrassing. Patrons have been handing me their dirty dishes and trays.  I’ve getting rid of the garbage and sorting the dishes  But now too many patrons are done eating at once, so they’ve been just leaving dishes and trays on the table surrounding the bins. I’m behind.

As the next patrons approach, I smile at them.  “Please scrape your dishes and put them in the bins,” I get out.

They both slide the paper napkins on the trays into the garbage before putting the dishes in the right bins. Edgar’s right!

Relieved I can do this part, I ask, “What else do we do?”

“Well,” Edgar pauses to adjust the glasses that have fallen down his face as he pulled more creamer from a lower cupboard, “Let’s see here….we take ou’ the garbage when it’s full, make sure there are dishes, fill wa’er jugs, fill cream n’ sugar.  Wash them trays and put ‘em back to be used again. Ah, clean up messes, help kids and old people carry drinks or food. Make sure they on’y take one dessert.”

We work together; Edgar occasionally shows me and trick or something else to do.  He carries the full bins to the kitchen or calls one of the dishwashers from the kitchen to take a bin into the kitchen with them when they bring out stacks of clean dishes.

“Short on volun’eers today.  Think we’ll take turns for break,” Edgar announces when everything is running smoothly.

“Sure thing,” I say.  Yes! Must be doing okay, if he’s gonna let me do take care of this on my own.

As Edgar eats his supper, I hoist a bin of cups and small dishes to carry to the dishwashers.  The woman with the tattooed arms, who was there when I started, is no longer manning the dish area.  Actually there has been someone different every week. In her place today is her male counterpart. Similar age, with tattoos in blueish ink, wearing a black ball cap, turned backwards to keep his hair off his face.

He grunts, "Thanks".

I take the bin full of dinner plates and soup bowls next. By the time I get to the dishwashers, my arms are shaking. As I rub my muscles, I see Leonard smiling at me.  I smile back, embarrassed.  Guess I better get stronger!

"You liking it out there, Sarah?" he calls, drying his hands on the apron covering his blue t shirt, while making his way unevenly from his stool in the cooking area.

"Oh, yes, I get to talk to the people! Some are friendly, some shy, some maybe a little grumpy, but I tell them all the have a nice day!"

"That's good. Why do you think they are like that?"

"The friendly ones are just happy for food, maybe."

"Maybe.  But maybe you treating them like people helps, too?"

"They are people."

"Not everyone treats people who need help like real people," Leonard states with a finality I have not heard from him before.

But my mind is reeling at this.  Not able to let it go, I finally find a question: "But isn't that why a place like Meals Shared is here?  To help people?"

"Yes, is it."

"And people still get treated badly by places that are supposed to help them?" I look to Leonard’s wrinkled face for an answer.

"Yeah, Red, they do." He lets out a deep sigh.

"Well that's stupid!  I'll make sure that doesn't happen here."

"I am sure you will." Leonard’s smiling at me, big grooves forming in his cheeks, must've been the right thing to say.  It's definitely the right thing to do. "What about the quiet ones or the grumpy ones?" he asks, a tougher question.

I turn this over in my head for a bit, "Maybe the reason they need food means they are having a rough time? Or they just don't like to talk?"

"You're right about that.  But not everyone treats people who need help kindly.  They might feel shame or worry that you’ll judge them."

"Not sure why someone would volunteer here, then judge people."

"Me neither," he says, before adding, "But it's not just here.  When someone who is helping people treats them with disrespect or looks down on them at other places they go for help, it makes them not trust us here, either."

I think back to the old woman who didn't look at me as she scraped her dishes.  She was all hunched over, but carried her tray on her own.  Her deeply creased face jumped when she raised her eyebrows at my 'Have a good day!' and her deep set brown eyes darted up, then back down.  Leonard's words start to make sense in my mind.  Maybe grumpy is the same thing? They’re grumpy because they expect me to be rude.

I voice this to Leonard, who smiles at me again. Yes!  "That's probably why.  But there is a difference between grumpy and being really rude.  If anyone says things to you that aren't nice, make sure you tell me or Edgar.  Bev if we aren't here."

"I guess so.”  People are nice so far!  Even when I tell them they can only take one dessert from the table.

"Good.  Be careful with people who are too friendly."

"What do you mean, Leonard?" This is a confusing conversation.

"Sometimes people might ask too many questions about you.  Or just act too friendly. Don't tell people where you live or your last name. Just let one of us know, okay?"

"Sure."

If it'll make Leonard, happy, why not? I grab some empty bins to replace the ones I removed from the front and meet Edgar back at our station to finish my shift.

*****

"How’s yer field trip?" asks Edgar, wiping his glasses on a cloth he pulls out of his shirt pocket.

I’ve been waiting for him to ask.  We are really busy today.  Edgar has shown me the tricks to setting up and keeping both the drinks and the desserts neat and tidy, so we’ve been doing okay, but we haven’t had much time to talk.

Today an old man spilled and lots of people needed help with their trays. Edgar has even rolled up the sleeves of the plaid shirt that he always wears. Actually, he has several shirts in slightly different patterns, all blue or red. As spring is turning to summer the scuffed brown work boots have been replaced with black running shoes, otherwise it's pretty well the same every time we work together.

*

The first time I saw Edgar carry a tray for someone who didn't have children in tow or use a cane, was a surprise.  An old man came in.  His face was sun darkened, even in early summer, and deeply lined, the ones around his mouth framing a line set with determination, attempting and failing to walk a straight path.  I have seen him before, but not in this state, I thought.   When he stumbled, Edgar strolled over, steps sure, but manner causal.

"Go sit down? Jus’ sit,  and you can eat. Deal?"

The other man looked up quickly at Edgar, almost falling over in the process.  Edgar steadied him with a hand on his elbow. "Deal?"

He nodded and mumbled, "Thanks, I never expected..."

The smell was terrible.  Rank with cigarettes, and sour with alcohol of some kind.

The man ate and left quietly.  Edgar asked me to get the empty tray.

*

"Have you ever been to the bog?" I ask Edgar.

Edgar has folded his tall frame into the plastic chair beside me. "Can't say I have. What'd you learn?"

"Did you know, even though they smell and are mushy and seem dirty, that bogs actually clean the water?"

"Didn't know that."

As my I share my day's learning and adventure, I explain that there is a chemical that tans and preserves things that have died.  It's the same chemical as tea. Which reminds Edgar of a story.

"When my girl was little, she wanted ta be a mummy for Halloween.  Convinced ‘er mother to dye the gauze with tea. I was ‘posed to pick up teabags on m’ way home."

Edgar pauses, drinks coffee from the heavy mug and regards his dinner.  Leonard and his ever changing kitchen crew have turned tough beef into a melt-in-your-mouth roast beef dinner, with potatoes and mixed vegetables.  We even have an only slightly wilted salad.  Edgar shovels a forkful of roast beef and gravy into his mouth.  I do the same.

"Problem is, I got a flat on the highway."

"Did you drive truck?" I ask, Edgar has told me stories about a few jobs over the past few weeks: security guard, fence builder, and warehouse worker.  Trucking is a new one.

"Yeah, a few years.  Mos’ly long haul, up north." More coffee and mashed potatoes consumed.

"When did you retire?"

"Still work when I can."

"Driving up north?"

"No, jus’ what I can find.  So I radio the office and ask the girl ta phone my wife tell her I’d be late.  I get home at my girl's bedtime, thinkin’ she’ll be sad.  Instead she shows me her tea bandages, all excited!  Dispatcher dropped off tea on the way home."

Edgar's eyes have tears building up on them behind his glasses. Probably making his sight go all blurry. I am not sure if they are good tears or bad, so I change the subject. Back to the wonder of the bog!

*****

"Summer's coming," Leonard says as we dish up spaghetti, with sauce and cooked carrots.  I slow my pace without thinking to match his slower steps.  Some weeks his leg drags more than others, but he always moves more slowly than almost all the adults I know.  He even sips his coffee, smokes a cigarette and ties his dull white aprons with carefully measured movements.

The sauce is delicious, canned to start; Leonard had the other kitchen volunteers have added cut up vegetables donated by a local grocery store, along with some seasoning, and ground meat.  The chunky, irregularly cut up carrots are on the menu at Meals Shared often.  Today I found out why.  A local farmer dropped off a gunny sack full.  Said it's the last one he has from fall.  They are a little bendy, but still edible, so kitchen volunteers log hours peeling and cutting carrots.

"Yes, this is the last week of school", I answer, getting some water, it's too hot for the 'juice' we make here.

We make our way to a mostly empty table near the kitchen and dig in.

"What’re your summer plans?” Leonard asks.

"This summer should be fun.  We usually go to the lake and I think we are going up north to work a bit with my dad.  He says he'll pay me to help build houses."

"You carry bus tubs now, no problem, guess we trained you for the job."

I don't tell him that after that first day, I started making use of the weight training I can do with my swim club.  Shaking arms were way too embarrassing!

"Will we see you in the fall?" he inquires.

"Are you gone for the summer?" I volley back.

"No, I'm here, sounds like you're kinda busy."

"Well, I won't be able to have a regular day, but I should be able to come most weeks.  Except when we are out of town, I guess.  But most weeks we are not gone all week. So I think I can come when we are in town. What days are you here?"

He's smiling at me again.  Right.  Sometimes when I get excited I talk a lot and fast.  Apparently, people find this funny.

"I'm here every day I can be,” Leonard says.

One of his kitchen crew, a young man named Rob, who was doing dishes weeks back and has now become one of the cooks that Leonard bosses, pipes up: "He's been here everyday since I started fine option, and I been here a month now."

Leonard's here every day? Fine option? Now my mouth won't work at all.  Actually, my brain can't decide which question to ask or how to ask it. I have learned to try to think about these things before I open my mouth.  Get in less trouble that way.  Because I always have questions. Sometimes they have to wait.

My face must have asked for me.  Leonard answers, "I come when my back is good enough to sit and help.  Can't stand much anymore.  On disability now, got hurt in my days cooking for the army."

"The army? Did you ever go anywhere where there was fighting?"

"Yes."

I wait for more, but that's all he says. The conversation turns to summer plans, how Meals Shared gets quieter as the weather gets better, the pow-wow coming up in town.

Author's Note

Attempting to show some character and relationship development, before moving on the the heart of the story. Also, tried to make Leonard and Edgar more distinct from one another. Looking for feedback on this.

Any constructive feedback is always welcome!

Reviews

[Samuel Dickens]

The character development is going very well, I'd say. Both Leonard and Edgar have stories to tell and are interesting fellows. I spotted a few little nits, like "the" instead of "to", and such. Bendy carrots--I think I've got some in the fridge. Overall, it's quite well told.

[Shannon]

Thank you for stopping by the read. No matter how much one proof reads....

Funny what people will relate to... Bendy carrots for all.

[Dave]

I like the way you are developing your characters. The differences between Leonard and Edgar are making each one more distinct.

[Shannon]

Thank you Dave. Took some practice to help you all see them.

[Dave]

Isn't that what we're all about? Practice, practice, practice. You're doing good practicing.

[SweetNutmeg]

Edgar is very well differentiated from Leonard. I can see Edgar in my mind's eye, with his clothes, and hear his accent.

I had two small problems:

1. "We work together; Edgar occasionally shows me and trick or something else to do."

I don't know what you're saying here, I assume it is a typo confusing me.

2. "Yes, this is the last week of school", I answer, getting some water, it's too hot for the 'juice' we make here.

This definitely confused me. I had to go back a couple of times to figure out what juice and it being hot have to do with each other.

I am especially pleased with what a good job you've dome making Edgar come to life for me.

[Shannon]

Thank you for reading again. I am thrilled that Edgar and Leonard are more easily differentiated!read moreThank you for reading again. I am thrilled that Edgar and Leonard are more easily differentiated!

Thank you for pointing out the awkward sentence and the typo.

[Jacob Clifford]

It took me a while to get around to this story, but here I am!

I enjoy stories like this one. Not anything super dramatic or exciting, but it's interesting all the same. I'm always a good sucker for character-relations stories. I like how the style of narration seems to really be that of a young person. The small details make things come to life.

[Shannon]

Thank you Clifford. I know it sometimes take time to get to a story.. In this case that could refer to either the review or my story. This is not a big action story. But the relationships needed to be in place before the story could unfold. I think

Thanks again for reading!

[Coyote Poetry]

I liked the honest conversation and advice shared. You are create a interesting place and good characters. I liked the feel of real life and good conversation shared. Thank you my friend for sharing the excellent chapter.
Coyote

[Shannon]

I am happy to hear the realism appeals to you. Thank you for continuing to read, my friend.

[Coyote Poetry]

I enjoyed the chapter and you are welcome.

[barleygirl]

I enjoyed reading everything in this chapter. Your characters are likeable & authentic. I get that you are trying to make Sarah sound like a younger person, but in a few places, it sounds a little choppy, like there could be a bit more explanation or conversation to make the situation more clear. In the first 20 or so paragraphs of this chapter, you reveal the way people discriminate against poor people. This is a very important part of your message, but I think it could be stronger. When Sarah & Edgar tell each other about their observations about poor people, it could be done with more SHOWING instead of TELLING, as you start doing in paragraph 22 . . . everything before that could also be done with more SHOWING instead of TELLING. Describe the poor people's distrust thru body language, actions, or dialogue, rather than this cerebral discussion between Sarah & Edgar explaining how poor people must be wary of discrimination. Being poor myself, I run into such discrimination all the time. People want to help me to make themselves out to be a good Samaritan, but they don't really want to get to know me or show any interest in me as a person. They just want the feel-good rewards of helping without seeming to care about anything I am or think or do. I'm just a poor person, lumped into a group of poor people, where others have their assumptions. This aspect of discrimination could be amplified as you make your point about this in the story. Thank you for accepting my ideas. I'm not expecting you to change this story, but just giving ideas to keep in mind as you continue (((HUGS)))

[Shannon]

How did I not respond to this? Maybe I was trying to come up with something powerful to match your comment.. But perhaps it is easier to thank you for the suggestions and truly for your comments. This us meant to be a story about learning about how to help without judgement, without 'charity' - don't know why that isn't a four letter word.

[barleygirl]

Now I'm back to re-reading this story & I'm loving that. Not sure if this part changed, but this time I noticed that you use a more slang sounding dialogue for Edgar, whereas Leonard's speech is in complete words. This helps me distinguish between the two guys becuz they sound different. I also just noticed this time around that there's a customer that stinks, then shortly after that, Red is chattering on about the purpose of the smelly bog . . . nice parallel of meaning, as this suggests to me that not everything that's smelly is undesirable (built-in lesson). I really like the conversation about how various customers feel when visiting a food kitchen & how Leonard is asking probing questions to make Red think about these humanistic aspects of working in this environment. Always love reading this story . . . (((HUGS)))

[Shannon]

Good memory. It is a change and I was hoping Edgar's lazy way of speaking would make it easier to tell the difference.

Sometimes, barleygirl you see the hidden bits others don't catch on to.

Thank you for reviewing again. I appreciate it, as I attempt to develop my skills along with this story.

[Lyn Anderson]

This one is great too. Again, with the And -- although here it fits, I do believe It's would read a tad nicer.
I would also suggest "who didn't have children in tow or use a cane" for better clarity. Finally, So is not an ideal way in which to begin a sentence, unless it is in the context of a conversation, to demonstrate how the person speaks. Your story is entertaining and smart, just needs those few grammatical tweaks to add some polish.

[Shannon]

Thank you for this one as well. I guess next installment will necessitate the creation of a book.
I think some of the exceptionally casual sentence structure (which I do employ often, outside of this piece, too, is the attempt to be in a 13 year old voice.

[Inject Positivity]

I see Leonard and Edgar both as important characters not only in the story but also in the speaker's life... The previous chapter now feels very important to me because without it I would not have figured out who is who and how they speak, what role they are playing in this story... I think anyone who reads this can see the bonding between Sarah and Leonard, and Sarah seemed to very curious with her questions and thoughts, a teenage mind that looks for answers...

The conversation with Edgar is an emotional one at the end, and I could really see him when the speaker said she doesn't know whether Edgar's tears were good tears or bad... When I read it the first time I was having some problems to figure out who was saying when but now I can tell I have figured them out, there are more specific details into this to help the reader understand the plot...

I'm excited to go read the "heart chapter" of the story where I believe something is awaiting to be unfold for us... Two solid chapters to prepare us for the next important one... I can see your voice in this write S...

Sincerely
Dhiman

[Shannon]

Thank you so much for your feedback Dhiman! I appreciated the previous note about the characters speaking and tried to make is clearer without interrupting flow.

Myst be at least 3 more sections to come.

[Howling_Wolf]

What a wonder story you have written here. I see the hard work you have put into character and relationship development. I do look forward to seeing more of this story, if there is more.

[Papaya]

Red is a very likeable girl with solid values.
I like the strong relationships developing.
Some very human moments in here that connect emotionally.
Keep touching our hearts!

[Shannon]

Thank you so much for reading Papaya. i find it hard to show the relationship while keeping the story moving. If I can get the next few sections right, maybe you will need a hanky!

[Papaya]

:-) Probably, I cry real easy...