Hot Walk

Hello,

This afternoon I delivered the last of the neighborhood newsletters that are our responsibility. I had intended to have Leroy help me for this last bit. However, after learning that he was working at the museum Saturday morning and preaching Saturday night as well as preaching on Sunday, doing it all alone was the easy way out of guilty feelings.

 I set off at 2:00pm which is a hot part of the day. Usually this part of the route can be done in about half an hour so water did not seem necessary.

At the third place I delivered to a teenager who was outside. Upon learning that he lived in the duplex, I handed over the newsletter. He was going in the door when a woman’s voice called out, “Wait!”

I assumed she was talking to the boy so I continued to move until he told me, “Mom says to wait.”

Shortly his mom came out with a water bottle in hand. She put that ice cold bottle in my hand. I still did not really think I needed it, but took it since she was so gracious as to provide it. Later I decided a drink would indeed be nice. That walk took me over an hour. Before I got home I had gratefully consumed the entire bottle.

Renters and blacks do not have as high a status in this country as home owners and whites. This woman was probably a renter considering that she lived in a duplex. I could clearly see that she was black. No white home owners offered me anything. It would be good if all could remember that there are good people everywhere in many different circumstances.

I perhaps looked like a homeless person in my garb and backpack. I did notice that a well dressed white guy in the bank parking lot looked at me and then quickly looked away as he might have done with someone he wanted to avoid. He certainly did not seem concerned with my welfare.

Paula