It was the worst facial hair she had ever seen. Most of the men in the gymnasium had beards. Some were attractive. Most looked like birds’ nests. This one was exceptional. “Hello? ” A large red hand waved between them. “Hello? ” Lisa plastered on a bright smile and repeated the phrase she had used a hundred times that day. “Happy Thanksgiving! Would you like white meat or dark? ” “Hey! ” A short man pushed the newcomer aside and shoved his plate at Lisa. “I was next. I want both. And Pete can wait in line just like everyone else. ”
He jostled the man deliberately as he passed on to the next server. Yeah, you go to the back of the line. ” An enormous teenager, dressed entirely in black, slid in front of Pete. “White meat. ” “Sorry, Damarius. You go ahead. ” As soon as the boy walked away, Pete stepped close to the table. “Happy Thanksgiving! ” Her script was simple, but she couldn’t take her eyes off his face. It made her think of a monkey with mange. The shape of his jaw was obscured by the irregular beard. Dark hair bristled in three clusters on one side of his mouth, but his mustache was sparse on that side and thick on the other.
The front of his chin had sprouted a crop of long straight hairs that nearly hid a round cleft, and one of his sideburns appeared to have grown along his cheekbone instead of down along the jaw. The skin revealed between the clumps of dark hair was pink and white with cold. Mange. “White or dark? ” “I have enough turkey. I’m here for the potatoes. ” Lisa hoped she was smiling helpfully. “Potatoes are over there. ” She used the meat fork to indicate the twin lines of servers. “First stop that way. ” “I’m supposed to get them from you. ” His scowl was accusing. “A lot of potatoes. Like twenty servings.
Mashed potatoes, in Styrofoam containers. ” The man used both hands to illustrate the shape and size of a box. “And some butter. ” Her smile became fixed. “Sorry. ” She looked around the room for one of the more experienced volunteers. She saw several of the official purple t-shirts, but none were paying attention to the turkey table. “Plenty of potatoes, but I don’t think we have Styrofoam containers. We have delivery but no takeout. ” “I know that. ” The man staggered as an underdressed blond woman hip-checked him.
“Are you back for seconds, Pete? ” She batted sticky eyelashes at him and then gave Lisa a dismissive glance. You’ll have to watch this guy. ” Another woman laughed. “Didn’t you get enough the first time, Pete? ” “I’m a growing boy! ” He edged away, letting Lisa serve a few more people, captured by the increasingly friendly women. An air horn blasted the hollow clamor of the gymnasium. Lisa had been rattled the first two times it happened, but now she fell into respectful silence with everyone else. This time the thanksgiving prayer was brief and business-like, a relief after the last one. The preacher of The Blessed Church of the Sacred Lamb and Holy Lion had not been as succinct.
After a few minutes of his speech, people had gone back to eating and talking. The volunteers had shrugged and resumed serving. When the minister finished, Pete returned to her table. “So you don’t have the potatoes. ” He looked around, apparently irritated, and Lisa sighed. She shouldn’t have been left alone. She wasn’t equipped for dealing with this kind of person. He wasn’t as alarming as some of the other homeless men here. The smell of cheap perfume – probably a recent addition – was better than the pervasive odor of smoke, tobacco and unwashed clothing.
Except for the odd facial hair, he looked the same as the rest of the men. He wore a stained tan canvas barn coat over a blue sweater, and a black knit watch cap pressed damp strings of dark blond hair down over his eyebrows and ears. With a shave and a shower, a haircut, clean clothes and a better attitude, he’d look fairly respectable. He could probably even get a job, if he tried. “Potatoes are over there. ” She pointed. “They’re probably in the kitchen. I’ll get them myself. ” He turned around and bumped into a woman whose head didn’t reach his shoulder. Well, hello, Mary. ”
“I want dark meat, in small pieces. ” The tiny woman wore several layers of long winter coats, and her head rose from a nest of multicolored scarves. Her toothless smile explained the request. “Certainly! ” Lisa’s smile was genuine now. She had seen too many elderly people today, and it broke her heart. They should be enjoying family celebrations in warm houses with plenty of food. None of them should be living in poverty. “Is this okay? ” “Perfect, dearie. I just love having Thanksgiving here.
You all are so nice. Can I have just a little more, please? She wedged herself in front of Pete, and he stepped back, bumping into a child and causing him to drop his plate. The boy bent over to pick it up and his mother yanked him up. His wails drowned out the soft voice of the old woman. “I’m sorry. I didn’t hear you. ” “I just wanted a bit of the white meat, too. Not much. And cut the pieces a little smaller than the dark meat, because it’s usually drier. ” Lisa bit her lip. Mr. Strough had instructed the volunteers to be firm about portion size, but this poor little woman looked like she could use the calories. “That’s a lot of food, Mary. ”
Lisa gasped at the man’s hypocrisy. This sweet old lady was just asking for a little more meat – not massive amounts of potatoes. The woman glowered up at the man. “That’s Mrs. Henders to you, Pete. I saw you knock down that little boy. ” He opened his mouth in retort, but others took up the complaint. “You’re a big ox, Pete. ” “A real clutz. ” “And you’re butting in line. Wait your turn. ” Pete ignored the comments and waggled his finger at the small woman. “Mrs. Henders, are you trying to take food home for Bill? ” She bristled. “No, it’s for me. I’m hungry. ” He looked at her plate. “That’s a lot of food.
Are you sure you weren’t planning to take some home with you? ” “My Bill deserves to have Thanksgiving, too, just like everyone else! ” She clutched it fiercely in both hands, as if afraid he might snatch it away. “Not this time, Mary. Mrs. Henders. Not today. ” He loomed over her. “You know he can’t get outside anymore. He has such bad arthritis, you know. ” Her voice quavered pathetically, but Pete shook his head. Appalled at the man’s ruthlessness, Lisa interrupted. “We do have a home delivery service. ”
She wondered if they had bouncers at the mission. The people nearby were impatient, disinterested in the argument. Not for Bill. ” Their voices faded into the din, and Lisa lost sight of them as the waiting diners pressed forward. She was never doing this again, under any circumstances. According to the news reports, people signed up years in advance to serve Thanksgiving dinner at homeless shelters. Why didn’t they keep a waiting list? She’d been roped into it at the last minute, when half of the church’s service team got strep throat.
Even then, she would have slid out of the “opportunity” if her sister-in-law hadn’t made the request in the same conversation as her announcement that they were canceling the family dinner. So really, the timing is perfect. I was feeling guilty about abandoning you on Thanksgiving, and now you won’t be alone! ” Lisa had protested, but Claire ignored her with the ease of long practice. “Pastor Keller was so relieved when I told him you already had the background check! He said to thank you and just be there at ten. ” She had been there at ten, of course. What kind of heartless person didn’t want to serve Thanksgiving dinner at the homeless shelter? She couldn’t spend the holiday at home alone. She’d tried that right after Lee died, and it had led to a time of darkness. She couldn’t do it again.