A Mission Heart
Chapter 2: Lady's Night
After my encounter with Mr. Penny on Wednesday morning, I feel anxious each time I see him over the next few days. He smiles when he sees me approaching with the small paper bag, and it gives me a sense of purpose. Thursday and Friday go the same with two bagels and two bottles of water, and each time he thanks me and smiles brightly. I express my gratitude for him finding my wallet and I scurry off in a rush to catch my train. I am forced to wonder what he will do on Saturday and Sunday for breakfast. I'm not so vain as to think he will starve to death without my small morning contribution to his nourishment. He did survive before I decided to make him my new cause.
Sunday morning after church is our monthly brunch. I am seated next to the pastor's wife, as usual. She is updating me on the different programs the church is sponsoring this month. With Thanksgiving coming up,we are planning the meal and also gearing up for the Christmas season. I volunteer every year to help cook and serve the meals along with a few other ladies in the church. I believe this is my perfect opportunity to tell her my grand idea about coupons and starting a mission project to of feed the town's hungry.
"I have been watching that show on TLC about coupons, and I started thinking that we could do something like that as part of our mission work. You see, I tried a test run this week and got over $100 worth groceries for only $12." I start with a success story that I had Thursday night at the store.
"Bella that's a wonderful idea!" We could get some of the other ladies involved and start a class with our bible study group on Wednesday nights. Would you be willing to teach us how to use coupons and find great deals?" Mrs. Cope asks.
"I can try my bes,t but I was thinking along the lines of setting up a soup kitchen and a food pantry for the homeless and hungry to use." I hope she sees where I am going with this.
"Oh, I hadn't thought of that." Said Mrs. Cope. "That would be a great way to reach more people. Why don't you do a few more test runs and see how much you can come up with, and I'll talk to Art for you to see if we can put a bulletin in next week's program. Just email me the specifics and what you need. I hope this is a great success. I can just imagine all the good we can do, especially with winter approaching. Oh! We can work it in with our coat and blanket drive. Bella, I think you've really got something here. Oh, look at me going on and on, sweetie; I'm sorry. Tell me, how are things with you at work? Is there a special man in your life?" Oh, no, she is giving me that look my mother gives me when she is prying into my social life.
The evening proceeds with the usual chatter and catching up on our work and personal lives. I learn that she has once again mentioned me to one of her friend's sons and is trying to sell me on all of his attributes. These are the moments that I have my least Christian thoughts.
Monday proves to be a new turn of events because Mr. Penny is not in his usual spot. His friend is there, instead. I walk slowly, searching in either direction for the familiar copper hair. Nothing.
"Excuse me sir, is your friend around?" I ask, kneeling down to speak with him.
"No, no, he is not here. You are the bagel girl, yes?" he asks, eyeing the small paper bag I'm holding. I offer it to him, along with the two waters, and give him my most sincere smile.
"Do you know where he is or how I can reach him?" I ask, as the man starts devouring one of the bagels.
"No, you won't see him for at least a week, I suppose." He swipes at a few crumbs falling into his scruffy grey beard.
"Oh, well, if you see him would you tell him I was looking for him. I'm Bella, the bagel girl." I snicker a little as I realize that Mr. Penny and his friend have a pet name for me.
"You know, we prefer warm coffee in the morning and meat is okay, too, in the bagels, if you have any to spare." He smiles appreciatively up at me as he takes a bite of the second bagel. I wonder if Mr. Penny has something to eat, wherever he is.
"I will try and keep that in mind for my next grocery trip, Mr. ahh?" I ask.
"Pete. Just call me Pete, and I'll be sure to tell Masen you were asking about him. He keeps an eye out for you. H'll sure be sorry he missed you this week." Pete smiles mischeviously. Hmm, Masen, that's an interesting name Masen. I like it.
"Have a blessed day Pete; tomorrow morning coffee and meat, huh?" I ask as I'm walking away.
"Yes ma'am. Bacon, scrapple, steak, ham, cream, sugar, splenda, equal . . . don't matter to me, no how, no way, long as I have some." Pete smiles brightly raising his last bite of bagel and bowing his head to me as I walk away.
Pete is a funny old man who isn't afraid to ask for what he wants. It's refreshing to have such honesty head on. The rest of my day, I'm thinking of all the possibilities of where Penny could be for a week. Did he visit family? Does he have a girlfriend? A wife? A child? Is he in the hospital or sick? Is he helping a friend out of town? Is he in trouble and hiding out or keeping a low profile until shady stuff blows over? This gets me nervous and worrying about him in a whole new way. Where is Mr. Penny?
Tuesday morning finds me carrying a hot cup of coffee with cream and suga,r along with a bacon, egg and cheese bagel from McDonald's. Pete spies me and stands up excitedly when I approach. He's shorter than I would have thought and seems to have a bit more energy than usual. I hand him the bag and coffee as I bid him a good morning.
"So, no word from . . . um, Masen, was it?" I ask.
"Nope, but he'll be out on Thursday morning for sure." Pete sips his coffee and smiles at me in appreciation.
"Out from where? Where did he go?" I ask, realize how nosey I'm being.
"He's in lock up," Pete says. "Not sure for what, but they never keep him more than a few days. It'll do him some good you know. Three meals, a cot and a shower, heck, even some new socks and shorts." He bites into his sandwich and chews slowly, like he's savoring it.
"Oh . . . um . . . well, when he comes back please give him this for me. And you are welcome to come, as well. There will be dinner and bible study, along with a bag lunch to go." I hand him the small program for the church, which advertises the weekly dinner on Thursday nights. It's open to the public and free of charge.
"You a nun, is you? Don't look like no nun to me. Look more like a librarian or a teacher." He says.
"No, no, I'm not a nun or a librarian, but I am a teacher. It's just a dinner that we are going to start having every week during the winter months. We will have coats and blankets, as well, so feel free to tell your friends and bring them with you," I offer.
"I'll see that I do," he says. "Thanks, Teach I'll make sure and tell Masen you invited him special." He winks at me and sips his coffee.
"Thank you. See you tomorrow," I respond as I walk away towards my train.
The rest of my week goes much the same. Every morning I have a brief conversation with Pete as I hand him a sandwich and coffee. He has yet to talk to or see Mr. Penny, whose name I now know is Masen.
At Wednesday's lady's night at church, I tell everyone about my three successful shopping trips to the grocery store. I explain that the three stores we have around town all double coupons up to one dollar. And if you match up your coupons with the weekly sales papers, you can walk away with food and health care products almost for free. I bring in a bag full of items that I got for next to nothing, and explain how I did the transactions for each one. I show them how to read the coupons and the fine print, and explain the different coupon policies for each store.
"This is what I got with my only my news-paper each week. Think of all of the food and products we could get if we worked together and brought in coupons," I offer
"We could ask our coworkers, friends and family to help us collect coupons. We also can partner with our sister church, and ask them to do the same. We can try this and see how much we can get. I watched that show this week and I was amazed by what some of those ladies walked out of the store with," Irina offers.
"We should start a clipping club on Tuesday nights, we could collect the coupons on Mondays and clip on Tuesdays nights. We could collect the coupons on Mondays, clip on Tuesdays and shop on Thursdays so we are ready for the weekend mission meals. Then we can stock the pantry and start with the take-home boxes." Mrs. Cope offers.
"Oh that's a wonderful idea! Each week we could take turns making dinner, much as we do for our Monday luncheons. I'm so excited to get started! This really is a wonderful idea we have and it's coming together so nicely," Mary offers.
"Well, I'm so happy that you all have embraced this idea. I can't tell you how nervous I was about starting up a program here on my own. I know I'm not a mom or a wife, so I wasn't sure if you would take me seriously or not." I confess to the group of seven women, with varying shades of grey hair, who are staring back at me with warm smiles.
"Oh sweatie, you don't have to be a mom or wife to have the instinct to help and be generous. You are a good person and that's all that matters. We can see in your heart how much you put into this, and we take shopping and saving money very seriously, don't we ladies?" Mrs. Cope stands an embraces me in a motherly hug as I wipe away a stray tear.
Thursday morning and there's still no Penny in the subway station. Pete, however, is standing there waiting on me eagerly, bouncing from heel to heel. He smiles brightly with a toothless grin as he takes the coffee and sausage-egg-and-cheese bagel that I made myself this morning using coupon-purchased goods.
"Will I see you at dinner this evening Pete?" I ask as I hand him the coffee and sandwich.
"Absolutely. I told a few friends about your dinner and blankets and such, and so far e about 15 of us are gonna be there. Masen is getting out around noon today, and I'll make sure and let him know about tonight." Pete says through his crumb-covered mustache.
"So I'll see you this evening, then," I say as I turn to leave.
"You got it teach," he calls as I'm walking away. I've never had a nickname before. Just Bella, which I wouldn't count as a nickname because it's just short for Isabella. It feels good to have a nickname, though I'm not sure I like being called "Teach."
Throughout my day at school, I think about Mr. Penny and what he did to get locked up. Pete made it seem like this was something that happened on a regular basis, and it was an acceptable, if not a good, thing. I'm a cop's daughter, so I can't think of it as being a good thing to be locked up behind bars.
Thursday, on my way off of the subway, I see a smiling Pete standing in his usual spot next to a not so happy looking Mr. Penny. I feel like a child approaching the two men, like I have done something wrong or crossed some unspoken line. I smile shyly at Pete and then turn to Mr. Penny as I get closer.
"See, I told you everyday, she comes everyday,y just like I said. Ms. Teach, this is Masen. Masen this is the 'Teach'." Pete gestures between Mr. Penny and I.
"It's nice to meet you." I extend my hand for him to shake. He stares down at it and then into my eyes, and back and forth a few times before taking my hand and shaking it firmly. His hand is cold and thin but still sends a warmth through my hand and arm, ending in my heart.
"You also, Teach?" he asks tentatively.
"Oh, sorry, it's Bella, Bella Swan." I offer smiling, more confident now that I'm not being scolded.
"Beautiful." He says staring me in the eyes.
"Huh?" I ask dumbfounded, losing all train of thought.
"Your name, it means beautiful." He clarifies.
"Oh, right, yes, I suppose it does. It's nice to see you back. I hope you can make dinner tonight at the church," I offer hoping that Pete told him about the dinner tonight.
"Yes, we will be there. Is there anything we should bring or do to help out?" he asks.
"Ummm, not really, but sometimes people stay after for clean-up duty, dishes and trash pick up." I say.
"Put us down for that then; 6:30 right?" he asks to verify.
"Oh, right, yeah, I should probably get going. I have to start cooking. It's good to finally meet you. I look forward to seeing you tonight, take care." I rush off waving my hand over my shoulder at the two men.
Mr. Penny, or Masen, nods in agreement and tips his hat to me. I notice now that he looks cleaner and his hair is shorter. His cheeks look a little more filled in and his clothes have been washed. It gets me to thinking that jail might not be a bad place once in a while for someone living on the streets.
I rush home, load up my truck with my many coupon bounties, and head to the church. The teenagers unload the truck and organize the pantry, and soon I find myself cooking along with Irina and Mary. Tonight's menu is BBQ meatballs, pasta, garlic bread, and peas. It might not be the most exciting meal, but I have to say that it will feed well over 50 people and cost under $30. I'm proud to show my receipt to the ladies, as we stir our sauces and take bread from the oven. They "ooh" and "ah" at my efforts and congratulate me.
Around 6:20, people start spilling in from outside. The final count of new guests is 23, plus 14 from church who are here tonight. We feed 37 people with plenty left over. I see Masen and Pete at one of the tables, but I somehow missed them when I was serving the food. They are both eating at a table with other men, talking amongst themselves. Pastor Art clanks his knife on a glass of ice tea to get everyone's attention as he stands to say a few words.
"I would like to take this time to offer a prayer and bless the food that we are eating. If we can all bow our heads and join hands. Lord, thank you for the food we are receiving and let it nourish our bodies. We ask you, Lord, to watch over our friends and family who could not be with us here tonight, and that they as well may have food to nourish their bodies. Lord, we also thank you for blessing us with our sweet angel Bella. Without her frugal and kind heart, this meal would not be possible. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen." As soon as he finishes, I hear the consensus of "amens" throughout the dining hall and feel several eyes on me. I look around the room and see several familiar faces smiling and nodding at me.
My eyes stop on a pair of green ones sparkling from across the hall. Masen's eyes are showing admiration and gratitude. I smile at him and mouth a "Hi." as I give him a small wave with my fingers. He smiles, waves and mouths "Hi" back to me.
When I finally sit to eat, I find myself thinking about the past month. As happy as I am about the acceptance and startup of my coupon program, and the success of tonight's dinner, I realize that Masen being here, and that smile he just gave me, are truly the icing on the cake.