Yesterday after I left Don’s office with that requisition in my hand, I felt exhilarated, giddy with excitement!  We went directly to the GFS warehouse.

At the counter, I presented the paperwork, and asked what I could have.  The older woman handling the bulk orders smiled and asked how many I was feeding.  When I told her 75, she looked up; I smiled and shrugged, and said “a whole town: Moose Creek.”

While John wandered the aisles, I sat with a check list: flour, sugar, salt, yeast, cases of soup, of veggies, of pasta, bags of rice (though I knew some were getting tired of rice); I checked off powdered milk, cheese, dried potatoes; canned meats and fish and fruit; cooking oil, shortening, dry mixes for seasoning and soup base; boxes of cereal for the kids; cakes mixes and chocolate chips (knowing the ladies at the church would love to do some baking); #10 cans of spaghetti sauce, chili and taco sauce; oatmeal, eggs, even bacon was available.

The lady looked over my list.  “You haven’t put down any amounts.”

“No, I don’t know how much I can have, but we’ll take anything you can give us.”  She nodded.  “What about non-food items?” and I explained about the Stone Soup Kitchen, and our recent bout with the flu, hoping to get a couple boxes of food-handlers plastic gloves.  Just then, John came back to the counter.

“Can I buy something?” he asked her, and when she said yes, he hurried away with a big grin.

We arranged a delivery for the next day at noon. I felt short of breath and felt like weeping with relief.

All the way home John had the silliest grin, and wouldn’t tell me what he bought.

I found out at dinner time: he had gotten me a big bag of fresh lettuce!