High School Reunion

When I was in high school, there was guy named Marcus (not really his name) that was always super popular. Smart. Atheletic. All that. I have run into him a few times over the years, and have always been surprised and slightly flattered that he bothered to say hello. After all, I was the goofy artsy chick with the skittles colored hairdon’ts at the “alternative” school and he was the Football God that could do no wrong. We would give abbreviated updates when our paths crossed-he gave up sports and became an artist; I gave up visual art and became a dancer; he worked in social services for a while, but decided he liked carpentry better, I went from the private sector to freelance; he gave up his petrol hungry car and was sticking to his revolutionary bicycle; I drove a biofuel run car with perpetually clogged fuel lines …

When I saw him in the Dining Room the other day I was caught off guard.  I remembered all the times he had made an effort to share his grace with me when the last person I wanted to run into was the Popular Guy from my high school. I looked over at him and smiled a hello. He smiled back, albeit a little sheepishly. I started to make my way towards him, but got pulled away by a coworker with a question. When I turned back, he was gone.

The first time people volunteer in the Dining Room they are often surprised at all the different folks that come to St. Anthony’s to eat. People on their lunch break, elderly and veterans, people that are dressed for an interview or for church, families, and people with disabilities. As the economy continues to shift (are we using the “r’ word yet?), I watch our lines get longer and longer, and wonder how many more people will come to the Dining Room to eat, how many more patients will come to the Clinic how many more Marcus’ will I run into …