Festivities

BITING THE APPLE

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I'm writing as fast as I can... because I've got to leave the space where my computer resides. I live there too.

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It's about 9:00 AM, raining , coldish, here in NYC. Today will rain, the other day it snowed, now almost totally melted into an ugly mush, nothing like purposeless snow. We've also had some crazy contrasts in temperature. Fifteen degrees a few days ago. But that was in the early morning. Warmed up to 26 deg. by afternoon. Two days before that, 67 deg., and for Christmas Day, they say rain, maybe clearing, then rising temp again, up to 50.

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I live high up, can't always see the street, what's falling or landed.

If Milo, my cat, thrusts himself against the window, trying to fly through the glass, it's usually because of snowflake madness. In that instance, I can expect extreme weather. Or else I can turn on the TV, tune in to station 999, and get a live action picture of the lobby, the ever active doorman, and a bit of the street beyond... traffic, but weather most of all. By watching the soap opera, let's call it "The Shabby Arms Chronicles", I can then tell if I need an umbrella.

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It being the morning of Christmas Eve, my big rush to get out is so that I can join a group of other volunteers . We will meet at a landmark church on 5 th Avenue and 90 th street, where we'll prepare a lavish dinner to serve tomorrow, Christmas day to anyone who may be poor, or alone, or homeless, or hungry. This area of New York is rich and famous and too often, infamous. Also average, or less, scraping two pennies together. I'm in between. How can this be? Well, NY has a special way of being side by side. That's why our illustrious mayor rides the subway every day to City Hall.

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Greed and overreaching. Generosity and concern. Everything overlaps. Even the irredeemable get kissed under the mistletoe. It's about to be Christmas, and most of us really wish to hold on to the spirit of the day, for another day, and another.

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Back from the church. Rain really pounding, umbrella almost turned inside out, a red, spiny mess. I can buy a new one , the umbrella sellers pop up on any given street corner at the first drizzle. They always know, much sooner than the weatherpersons on TV.

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The chef who does all the holiday dinners, was busy assembling tons of roast beef, some folks were chopping veggies, huge pans of potatos appeared , waiting to be baked, all fixings, cakes, pies, muffins. And how does all this fit in? Well, the church is affiliated with a school, and the facilities are shared. So the two gyms are converted to dining rooms. White table cloths cover the tables. Candles and decorations add to the festivities. And usually at least 300 guests are served in two sittings.

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I became part of the peanut and jelly brigade. Three hundred sandwiches for tomorrow, for the guests to take with them in a baggie that will contain perhaps, an apple, a banana, some cookies for a snack, a meal. The easiest sandwich in the world to make, we became a very efficient assembly line, spreading, cutting, stacking. And suddenly, finished. I couldn't resist a slice of bread thickly spread with only peanut butter. Never have been. Just remember not to run your fingers through your hair.

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Tomorrow, I'll be back there at about 11:30 AM. The guests will rush in, or amble in. Some are with friends, some are alone, and every year I recognize a grandfather and his two grandsons, all impecably well dressed, never so much as speaking. But eating well. I'll try to serve them tomorrow. I'd love to see one of those kids smile. You never know.