SATURDAY STORY, SATURDAY, JANUARY 22, 2022

 SATURDAY STORY, SATURDAY, JANUARY 22, 2022

This is a work of fiction

Alyssa Jones had a bad day.  Actually, most of Alyssa’s days were bad days.  From her birth - as the third child to an unwed mother (and the third different father to her mother), through foster homes, juvenile detention homes, high school drop-out, the military, jail, no job, no money, homeless - life just wasn’t good for Alyssa.  Plus two pregnancies for her (and giving both children up for adoption).

And, to top it off, it was a cold day (at least by Austin Texas standards).  Being on the streets when the temperature is 17 degrees overnight is almost inviting death - and Alyssa thought death might be a good solution. 

But, there are some compassionate people and groups in most towns and Austin did have those.  Some of the city recreation centers were open for the homeless on such cold nights, plus the various missions.  

The Downtown Rescue Mission opened its doors at 4:00 on that afternoon instead of the regular 6:00 opening.  Volunteers from the Stephen Ministry program in Round Rock were there preparing a warm, nutritious meal.  Reverend Elias Bowd was at one door helping the folks get in.  The rules were simple - no alcohol, no drugs, no weapons, no hate, no fights.  Alyssa had stood in line for 45 minutes - stamping her feet to keep warm.  

She had been to the Downtown Rescue Mission before, but only a few times.  They would have a good meal with Christian music in the background, a five-minute sermonette by Rev. Elias or some other preacher, and then some TV, or games and a cot.  On one of the previous nights, there had been a ruckus between two of the homeless - a Black man was trying to force himself on a Hispanic woman - and that was quickly broken up by the staff and the man was thrown out once the facts were heard.  

*****

Alyssa walked in out of the cold with her bag of belongings.  She did have a warm coat (from a thrift shop),  a second pair of shoes, some pants, a couple of long-sleeved tops, and not much else.  She did get some money from odd jobs - that paid minimum wage.  On good days where maybe he worked about money, she might enjoy a cheap bottle of liquor - but those days were few and far between.

*****

She found a seat in the TV room where Jeopardy was playing.  Some lady was winning a lot of money - but Alyssa didn’t know any of the correct responses.  But, inside with warmth and a chair, she soon fell asleep.  

*****

Alyssa woke when the others made a rush to the dining room.  Although her stomach was growling, she knew there would be enough to eat.  

*****

God was speaking to Beth Blum from the Round Rock Stephen Ministry group.  “See that one with the tattered coat and the downcast demeanor?  She needs you tonight”.  Beth knew that when she got messages like this, she couldn’t ignore them.  

Beth excused herself from the server crew and went out to the line to be a greeter and to be there when this lady in the tattered coat came through.  What would she say?  “Hi, my name is Beth, and God told me to talk to you!”  No, while maybe that was the direction, she couldn’t quite address the lady like that.  Befriend her.

*****

Alyssa saw the lady greeting people.  Just another nice “do-gooder”, white lady - who probably secretly hated black people.  But, maybe God was already working in her mind too.  Beth had on what seemed to be a sweatshirt of her family - white husband, two white kids, two black kids, and a dog.  Nope, not quite the white suburban lady she had envisioned.  

*****

Beth caught Alyssa looking at her - and without planning it, she winked at her and flashed a warm smile.  Beth was not normally a lady who winked at people - was this a God-thing?  

*****

The line for food moved slowly, but Alyssa kept taking glances at Beth.

*****

Finally, the grizzled old black man in front of her passed Beth, and Beth was face to face with her.  Their eyes locked for a second until Alyssa turned her head away.

Very quietly Beth whispered in Alyssa’s ear.  “God wants me to love you”.  Alyssa jerked straight.

*****

Beth almost jumped when those words came out of her mouth.  “God wants me to be your friend” - maybe would have been better; but “God wants me to LOVE you?” that was just too much. 

Alyssa snarled back “Go Away”, but in her stone-cold heart, she knew the lady was listening to God.  

In a second, Alyssa burst into tears, sobbing uncontrollably, and Beth was there wrapping her arms around the black lady.  Beth guided Alyssa out of the line and into a quiet place.  There had been others who had been seen Alyssa break down, but soon “out of sight, out of mind” became the norm again.  Back to their meal, back to their lives.

*****

God was still talking inside Beth’s brain.  “Say ‘I am to love you again to the lady.”

So, Beth said “Okay, I don’t know you, but God pointed you out to me.  You don’t know me and I don’t know you, but I know Him, and I know I am to love you - unconditionally.’

Alyssa didn’t know what was happening - she had left God out of her life years ago when a “man of God” in a Black church tried to abuse her.  If that was God, she didn’t want that in her life.  No one ever had loved her.  She was just a loser.  She knew that God - if there was a God - couldn’t possibly love somebody like her.  She had done just about all of the bad things on His list - if he had a list - steal, lust, covet, sleep with a married man who wasn’t her husband, drink, smoke pot.  

But, here was somebody she didn’t know saying that she loves me.  The lady must be crazy.  But, somehow tonight - this terrible night - this crazy lady was making a lot of sense.  

*****

In a side room off of the dining room, Beth and Alyssa sat.  They hadn’t talked yet.  Alyssa was still sobbing, and Beth was still hugging her.  Maybe words weren’t necessary.

*****

Alyssa recovered enough to go on the offensive.  “You’re just a do-gooder white lady, trying to win points with your God by helping a down-and-out black woman.  You can’t love me - I’m way beyond that by now.  I’m not sure what your game is bitch, but you’re all wrong. Leave me alone”.

But, that still small voice in Beth’s head said “Let her rant, she needs to get this out of her system.” So, Beth sat with her and hugged her - and Alyssa didn’t make an effort to push Beth away.  

Suddenly, Alyssa buried her head on Beth’s shoulder and the sobs became words.  “I’ve been so wrong, I’ve hurt people, I’ve been mean and nasty”. Beth quickly plucked a tissue off a box on the desk and gave it to Alyssa, but Beth didn’t say anything - just holding Alyssa’s head.  

*****

About fifteen minutes into this. Alyssa pulled back and looked into Beth’s eyes.  She said, “I don’t know how to say this, but God is telling me to say ‘I love you back to you”. 

*****

Beth stayed that night with Alyssa at the Downtown Rescue Mission - getting a cot on the floor next to Alyssa’s cot.  In the morning, Beth - holding Alyssa’s hand - asked Rev. Elias if Alyssa could come to Beth’s house that day.  

Rev Elias looked at Alyssa - and asked “Do you want to go with this lady?” 

Alyssa answered “I don’t understand what happened last night.  I think God intervened on my behalf.  I’m willing to try again - and willing to learn from this lady.”

*****

Alyssa stayed a month in the spare bedroom at Beth and Mike’s house in Round Rock Texas.  They learned a lot about each other.  Alyssa had done poorly in school because she wasn’t loved and getting in trouble was a way to get attention - even if it was negative attention.  Beth had a friend on the Williamson County Literacy Council and got reading and educational help for Alyssa.  Alyssa went with Beth and Mike to their “rainbow” church with whites, blacks, Hispanics, straight, gay, and others. 

*****

Eventually, Beth helped Alyssa get a job with the Caring Place in Georgetown Texas, Alyssa started taking courses at the Round Rock campus of Austin Community College.  Alyssa went on to get a master’s degree from the University of Texas in guidance and counseling and took a low-paying job with the Austin Downtown Rescue Mission - where she was a beacon of hope and joy for the homeless of the area.  

**********

Okay, a Pollyanna story today.  

In my limited understanding, God doesn’t ‘talk’ that much to people, but does put thoughts in our brains.  In this story, Beth could have ignored the thoughts in her brain, but she acted on them.  

How is God talking to you today?

*****

LOVE WINS!!

Karen White

Saturday, January 22, 2022food line