What is it about showers that get us to thinking that what we think is brilliant? My friend, Karen, mentioned this phenomenon the other day and it made me smile. Is it the warmth of the water that not only opens the pores, but opens the mind? Or is it the wake-up refreshment of the water? Is there some Freudian back-to-the-womb chemistry with the water cocooning us and allowing us to feel safe and expansive? (BTW, I write like I know what Freud would have to say about this and have no clue. It just always sounds good to throw his name in every now and then.) Gad, I have no clue, but I know a lot of us do our best thinking in the shower.

Anyway, as I showered this morning I was thinking about yesterday and the couple of hours I spent volunteering at Morton's food ministry. The hours sped by faster than you can say Jiminy Cricket.

I've been out of the loop for a long time and haven't been involved with the food ministry. I had pretty much convinced myself I wouldn't be up to task. Sometimes I can be such a knucklehead. I forget the value of a smile and cheerful word or two. And I am boastfully good at both.

Morton has it wired (sorry, I seem to be writing in cliches today) when it comes to a food ministry. I tell you what - I've never seen anything like it! I can't recall the tonnage of food, but I do know that something like 125 families shopped at Morton yesterday. The foods were set up somewhat like a grocery store with carts and reusable sacks. Volunteers from the church, community, and local schools were available to assist the shoppers. Nutritious foods were invitingly merchandised and I want to guess there were about 8 freezers packed with meats etc. End result: it was the type of place I'd shop.

****

As customers came through, I spotted a man who looked familiar. Actually, it was his portable oxygen tank that first caught my eye. I often forget I'm lugging my tank around. It's become second nature like putting on lipstick every morning - um, bad analogy. I don't do that. Um, slinging my oxygen tank strap over my shoulder is like putting on a bra every morning. Um, I don't always do that either. Cradling my oxygen tank is like cradling my cup every morning as I gulp gallons of coffee! Yeah, that's it! Anyway, once I'm hooked up, I forget about it and go about my day... that is until I see someone else lugging a tank around.

As this man approached my table, I smiled and made some universal hand signal about our two tanks. I kept on thinking he looked familiar but I couldn't place it. And then he spoke. OMG. He opened his mouth and the most beautiful voice filled the space between us. Mind you, it wasn't the fact that he's a ZZ Top look-alike. Nope, it was his beautiful voice that really got my attention. I stepped aside and said, "I think I met you at the Old Court House in Tracy. He smiled, looked at me again (probably trying to visually remove the tubes up my nose, smiled some more, and nodded his head with appreciative recognition. (Below is a link to a post about the Tracy Courthouse - it's one of my favorites.)

For two years, I had a secret crush on this man - adored him. I met him in AA. It was a time when I needed to regroup, re-prioritize, and break the habit of twenty 5 o'clock cocktails - these are all polite words to describe the shitload of trouble I was in. (Sorry, I'm a closet potty mouth and that one sneaked out.) I accomplished the goals I set out to do, but also met some of the finest people ever. These days, I have a cocktail if I want one, but it's rare. It's not a must-do thing for me anymore.

Seeing my ZZ Top friend was so much fun. Suddenly, we weren't at a food bank. We were at the market and happened to bump into each other like people do all the time... talking about the weather and ticking off the errands we had to do, and saying stuff like, "Good heavens, isn't the cost of gas frightful!"

I don't know why, but my heart just clutched with affection and sorrow.

While I totally forgot I was at a food bank, I wonder if my friend did. There was never ever a moment of awkwardness - just plain good gladness to have bumped into each other. A moment of *normal* was created - and as unlikely and odd as it might sound, as usual my friend gave me far more than I could ever give him.

Dang. I don't know how to end this. I can't form the words. But this I do know... I still have an unlikely crush on this remarkable man whose wisdom and humor and compassion always softened my days during hard times.


A Solid Foundation