Homeless Fashion Update

Yesterday we, again, served lunch to the homeless. It's one of the most meaningful things I do these days.

I was again assigned to the drink table. The drink was water. The rules were that a person could have all of the water they wanted - but only one cup. My take on that is that I'm not the drink police. I'm the drink server.

Some people took two cups.

In filling water cup, plus people's dirty plastic water bottles, I tried to touch each person's hand. (If any of my kids are reading this, yes, I was wearing plastic gloves.)

The meal consisted of fruit salad, those big plastic wrapped sandwiches from the convenience store, rolls and soup. If it's your only meal for the day it's a substantial one.

A reminder that the doors open at noon and close at 1:00 P.M. and the saddest thing in the world is seeing the line of people who don't make it in.

So the food gets served VERY FAST!

My boyfriend, who was serving the fruit salad, said that the most interesting person he saw was a guy who was obviously homeless (because of his back pack with all of his possessions inside) who was listening to his I-pod the whole time.

The most interesting person I saw was a very old, very small man, wearing a dirty shirt, pants and socks but very nice new women's shoes.

My guess is that where he shopped, those were the ones that fit him.

If you haven't had the blessing of doing something like this lately I hope you'll seek it out.


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Oldies Update

We're still seeing my Oldies at least a couple of times a week. The memory loss is still acute but their sense of humor and ability to be on the go are as strong as ever.

Mr. Oldie is still ordering his two fried eggs at Panera's. But last Saturday the cook came out and very apologetically told him that it was impossible because the line for breakfast was out the door. Mr. Oldie graciously acquiesced.

And Mrs. Oldie (who weighs about 100 lbs. soaking wet) is still wearing her Chanel suits.

As you know, on Saturday mornings she gets escorted from the restaurant, across the street to have her hair done. When I do it we hold hands for safety.

This past Saturday my boyfriend did it. He held her hand as well. When they entered the salon my boyfriend announced to the hair dresser that he was HER new boyfriend.

Without missing a beat Mrs. Oldie said, "Yes, I think I need a younger man."

Don't tell Mr. Oldie they shared this little joke. It would make him sad. He lives and breathes for her.


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Memories

Recently I received my fall copy of the Emory University/Candler School of Theology magazine.

We attended this school in the late 60s. Well, my husband attended. I took some classes, wrote poetry for the magazine and worked in the development office our last year there.

When I opened the magazine I was happy to see, on the first page, the color picture above of Bishop Mack Stokes, along with Candler Dean, Jan Love. He and his late wife, Rose have given a gift to Candler that will enable the school to establish the Bishop Mack B and Rose Y. Stokes Chair in Theology.

When we were in seminary all those long years ago Mack Stokes was a well loved professor at Emory (Candler.) For our first two years there we served a "Three Point Charge" - that's three small country churches (at the same time) way up in northeast Georgia.

We invited several of these wonderful, prestigious professors to visit us and speak on Sunday mornings to these farmers who, by the way, had no idea who they were nor did they care.

To our constant amazement, the professors came - and many times brought their families. After the services we had "dinner on the grounds." These farm people could put on quite a spread.

The black and white picture is of Professor Mack Stokes and his lovely wife Rose at one of these noon time dinners. I'm on the left. My son is on my lap. He was not feeling well that day - but he liked the dinner.

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Our First Fight

Well, not really. My boyfriend and I are ooey gooey all the time.

However.

We had friends over for dinner last night. I suggested a couple of days before that we have Curried Chicken and Rice with toppings. Twenty years ago I made this fun dish often.

We bought all of the ingredients.

Then, yesterday, he said "Oh no, we forgot the coconut milk."

Coconut milk?

Then he pulled the - "Remember, I was born in Kuala Lumpur and was raised on curried chicken with sambols" - card.

That's what he calls the toppings.

Sambols.

Well, since I learned to make this recipe in Melbourne, Florida in the 80s using a Crock Pot, and, since we had the ingredients for this recipe, this is what we used.

The dinner was a success but today after he and I ate the left overs we Googled "Malaysian Curried Chicken" and decided to change the recipe a bit next time. Maybe even include the coconut milk.

Last night we compromised on the sambols. They were pineapple chunks, peanuts, raisins, mandarin orange slices, boiled egg bits - and coconut.


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Tests and Game Shows

Most people know that one of the themes in "Slumdog Millionaire" is winning the big prize in "Who Wants to be a Millionaire."

The main character, a slum kid, is suspected of cheating because he's - well - a slum kid.

When I used to watch "...Millionaire" I was amazed at times because I knew most of the answers. But then, other times, not much.

I know way too much about pop culture. But I know nothing about sports or music after the 50s.

I know tons about women's literature and American history. I know little about math and science.

I'm up on politics. I know the Bible. I don't know much about Scientology.

There's long been a controversy about SATs and other standardized tests. Some kids are smart and know plenty about their own culture and their own world but don't have the same kind of knowledge as mainstream kids.

If I'm ever on the Millionaire I hope I get questions on poetry, literature, The Brady Bunch and John Wesley.


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I'm A Slumdog

As you know, I love movies and always have.

Last night we paid the big money to see "Slumdog Millionaire."

It's been astoundingly successful both with critical acclaim and with the public despite the fact that it's had a lot of bad press, especially from India.

Indian activists claim that the children of the slums were exploited, the title is demeaning, etc.

The director, Danny Boyle is English, so I guess it is hard to see outsiders come in and present your home in such a sad way. But the movie has earned $100 million dollars world wide and is the front runner for the best picture Oscar.

Newsweek calls the movie part thriller, part romantic comedy, part musical. I disagree.

I was disturbed by it. It gave me nightmares last night. Did I like it? Yes. But in the same way I liked "Schindler's List." By the way, there is a horrible scene in "Slumdogs" that's taken right out of "Schindler's List. "

In a small way I could relate to these kids. No, not the electric shock or the water boarding or the eyes gouged out with a spoon - but I could relate to growing up without a mother, the being on my own at an early age, the inability to protect my brother, the being cold and hungry.

A close friend (one of my Power Rangers) told me recently that it was one of the best movies she's ever seen. I get that. She's traveled all over the world - many times on mission trips where she was helping the poor.

But it was almost too much for me.

I did like the fact that Jamel's brother had the strength to finally do the right thing - because of his faith.

The movie does end joyfully with a typical Bollywood dance. My friend also told me that the dance defines the word "Bollywood."

She's coming for dinner tonight so we'll have more opportunity to discuss "Slumdog Millionaire."

We've having Curried Chicken and Rice.

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Who's Your Favorite James Bond?

I've read that almost half the people in the world have seen a James Bond movie. You can't get away from them. They just keep comin'.

The overwhelmingly favorite Bond was, of course, the sophisticated, beautiful and smarthy Sean Connery. There was always a lot of cool dialogue in beautiful settings. He was always in control. I did have problems with Bond. He routinely made love to women and then killed them. But it was all in fun.


I also liked Roger Moore's Bond. He seemed to think the whole thing was a big joke so that made it even more fun.

I saw the first 14 Bond movies.

The last one (before last night) was "Octopussy" in 1983 with Roger Moore. My son told me this morning that that's the last one he saw as well because I took him to see it.

I apologized.

I don't know about all those other Bonds. My guess is that Pierce Brosnan was pretty good because he has some of those Sean Connery attributes.

But who's George Lazenby?

My favorite Bond songs are Shirley Bassey's "Goldfinger" and Carly Simon's "Nobody Does it Better."


Last night my boyfriend took me to the 75 cent theater to see "Quantum of Solace." We both hated it. It had no humanity, no witty dialogue, no humor and no soul. It had lots of special effects, if you're into that sort of thing. I am not.

The great Judi Dench played "M." I can only say,

"Judi, Judi, Judi. What were you thinking?"


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