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A Pre-Thanksgiving Ride to the Food Shelf [1]

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Date: 2022-11-23

I gave somebody a ride who needed one to the local foodshelf yesterday. It wasn’t my first time. But this time was very different. They had restricted hours and days this week. For the holiday, small turkeys were given out, along with yams and a variety of onions, potatoes, and the usual box of staples.

We thought we left early. Usually when we arrive, we pull straight in to their warehouse dock area, park along the fence, and the other person walks in and then back out with a loaded shopping cart to move the food going into my car. On site, five minutes max. Very little traffic bothered by the process. I listen to the radio or do a brief inner eyelid inspection, sometimes both.

This time was different. The site was surrounded by local police cars with flashers going, the normal entry blocked off. Cones divided the road past the shelf so one lane was separated from traffic and nobody could butt in. We drove what was several block’s distance, though without actual cross streets, to the next corner. The line turned right and went down that street nearly out to the highway, about twice as far as we’d already gone. The same arrangement of cones separated the foodshelf line from the sparse residential traffic.

Once I found the end of the line, a quick u-turn gave us our space. (Nevermind how legal that wasn’t.) I’d been trained to never block somebody’s driveway, but noticed that seemed to be a rarity, as if those in line might miss getting food if they didn’t sit on the next vehicle’s bumper. I had a clear view — and earful — two cars behind me as an irritated resident had to get attention, and wait a minute, to turn into their own driveway.

The line moved slowly, but not quite slowly enough to justify shutting down the engine, so it pretty much idled, rolled, idled, rolled, for over half an hour. Squad cars went up and down the streets which were coned off, probably to make sure that hungry folks were managing to behave. The officer at the corner where we turned was doing a great job, on foot, of siphoning vehicles and pedestrians through the corner in their turns, whichever directions they were headed. I made a point of rolling down the window and thanking him for his good work. He was appreciative, almost looking like he now enjoyed the job. I suspected he was anticipating some kind of complaint as he saw my window dropping.

As we neared the warehouse, one squad jockeyed back and forth across the open lanes to the other shoulder to try to jumpstart another vehicle which was having no luck getting where it needed to go. As we finally passed, they still hadn’t made progress, so I don’t know how that came out. But we were just about there!

Once through the gate, we were directed to one of four lines. Once there my passenger had to provide ID with an address, was asked how many people lived in that household, and a sticker was put on the window behind me. It gave info to the person further up the line how much food was to be placed into the car, if I was hearing correctly. Our desired vehicle door was opened by others attending the lines. There was a pause and break in the line, where we all were halted while a bunch of people rolled out shopping carts in the wide space between us and the cars in the next segment of the lines. Once those were loaded and the people took their carts back safely for their next loads, they left and we proceeded forward.

Suddenly we were done. No walking needed on our part. They were all happy to be there, even happier to be thanked for helping people have a better meal to be celebrating with. Off we drove, finally home a mere hour plus since leaving my driveway.

I find myself thankful for much this holiday. Thankful for all those who help, thankful for being able tohave a very small part in it, thankful my passenger can have some enjoyment in traditional holiday fashion this year, thankful I don’t need to depend on a foodshelf for my own needs… this year.

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[1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2022/11/23/2138099/-A-Pre-Thanksgiving-Ride-to-the-Food-Shelf

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