December 2006 – Earlier this year, Clifford and I bought and assembled a storage shed to hold all the stuff we collect for the homeless (plus our lawnmower, etc.) – as it was overtaking our spare room. Now everything is easily inventoried and much more accessible. We have accumulated so much stuff this year, that I didn’t know how we were going to get it all to Austin for the giveaway. Usually, I take a carload to Kate a few days before and the rest fits in my car (or mine AND Breezy’s if the need arises). This year was a very different story. As luck (or fate) would have it, Ma and Gram wanted to participate in the giveaway this year. They’ve been helping collect stuff for several years, but had never accompanied us on our delivery day. Daddy was worried about our safety – even though Ma kept telling him that I’ve been doing it for many years and have been okay.

  Daddy would hear nothing of it and insisted on coming, too. So, Daddy came to Lockhart a couple of weeks before we were scheduled to deliver and filled his Suburban with all the plastic tubs full of clothing, shoes and toiletries. I was then able to follow our usual routine of taking a carload of blankets for Kate to bring in her car and then I could bring the rest in my car on delivery day.

  The day finally arrived and when I got to McDonalds, Daddy, Ma and Gram were already there waiting for us. Breezy came in her own car because she was going to have to go to work as soon as we were finished delivering. Shortly after Breezy arrived, Mom came for her first time, too. While we were having breakfast, I went over to speak to Steve. (As is my usual custom, earlier in the week I had gone to McDonalds to find a homeless person who could let people know we would be coming on Saturday. That day, I found Steve – a very polite, soft-spoken gentleman.) As promised, Steve spread the word and several people were sitting at the table with him waiting for us, as well. Once Kate arrived and we all finished our breakfast, we went out and moved the cars next door to Peter Pan Golf. Steve and his companions followed us over and a number of other people came, too. Gram, Daddy, Ma and Mom all fell right into the situation very comfortably and very naturally – visiting with our “customers” and helping them to find what they needed. Gram had even brought a big bag of oranges she was handing out. After we had been there quite a while, two men who were nicely dressed and driving a very new SUV came and started sorting through the bins. We were all a bit puzzled until one of them asked us how much the jeans were – they thought we were having a yard sale or something. Once we explained what we were doing there, they quickly dropped the jeans and coats they were holding and left. I’m afraid they may have been a bit embarrassed.

  Once we finished at Peter Pan, Mom had to leave and the rest of us caravanned over to Wooldridge Park. On the way, I saw two men and a woman walking. I pulled into a bank in front of them and jumped out of the car as they approached. They were so grateful for the blankets I had to offer. Unfortunately, the rest of the caravan didn’t realize I had stopped and they continued on to the park. They were carrying all the clothing, coats, and toiletries in their cars. Breezy pulled in behind me, but she only had blankets, too. I told them where we were going (which was just a few blocks away) and that we would probably be there for a little while if they needed hats or gloves or anything, to meet us there; but they were thrilled just to have the blankets. It was a bitterly cold day, after all. . .

  Breezy headed on over to Wooldridge and a few minutes later, I followed. When we got there, Kate and my folks were already unloaded the vehicles and beckoning people over. They told us that one of the churches up the street was serving Christmas dinner and that we would find a lot more people in need over there. Some of the people we were talking to were headed over there to eat and some had already eaten and returned. We decided to break tradition and head over to the church. It seems they do this meal every year for the homeless, but we have never heard about it before because we always deliver the Saturday before Christmas Eve and they always serve the dinner on Christmas Eve. This year, Christmas Eve fell on Sunday, so they had decided to serve on the day before Christmas Eve. There were so many people out there. Ma was really taken by a young woman who was on the streets with her husband and their new baby. Ma found out where she would be later that day and promised to return with some things for the baby. We gave away all we had left there, so we never made it to the other parks. Ma, Dad and Gram went back to Georgetown and bought stuff for that baby, and as promised met the young mother later at the ARCH to give her what they had bought. My family are very generous people who have been adopting a family every Christmas for years - and have helped Kate and me collect the things we need for our giveaway. But now that they have experienced what these people are really like. . . how in need they are. . . how grateful they are for the smallest kindness. . . how much like you and me they are. . . .well, they’re hooked. Gram’s all fired up to buy more socks and sleeping bags, and they all plan to join us next year. . . . and so it grows..