Just Another Day

[v_harkryder]

It turned out that Virgil didn't have any more cards from the shelter when he opened his desk drawer, so he wrote the phone number down and gave it to Tanya after their conversation. He hoped she left before the hitting happened again rather than after. 'After' might be a relative word, but it could also prove to be too late.

He pulled his late-model Chevy into the shelter's lot and killed the engine. It was just past noon, which meant they'd be serving lunch. He'd been on good terms with the staff since he started referring people for everything from drug counseling to psychiatric help. Becoming community-minded had been a way to take his mind off of what happened to him before he turned in his gun and badge, and he actually liked helping people.

The air had a definite chill in it, even though the snow had melted, and the warmth indoors was a welcome change. Virgil looked around for Stephanie, the day supervisor, then started towards the kitchen. If she wasn't in there, the people preparing lunch would know where she was.

Comments

Just another day

[melodymagic]

Once a week Melody and her mother would go to the local shelter to cook and serve lunch for the people seeking refuge there. It was a family tradition her parents had started when they first moved up to Las Vegas from Searchlight, and had always made sure Melody was involved, learning the importance of giving of the most precious of an individual's gifts, time, and humility.

She was placing the plates into the warmer bay of the bain marie, readying for the serving of lunch when she saw the man enter the dining area. It was still at least ten minutes before the scheduled start time and she wondered what he was doing, as he didn't look like someone who would be needing the assistance offered by the refuge. She glanced across to where her mother was busy checking the large pot of chicken soup with dumplings, before looking back at the man as he crossed toward the servery counter.

Re: Just another day

[v_harkryder]

The smell of food from the kitchen was a lure even when he wasn't looking for someone, and Virgil stepped out of the main dining area to see an older woman and a younger one near the cooking area. He'd come in wearing a workman's cap to keep his head warm against the chilly day, and he took it off before clearing his throat to catch their attention.

"Excuse me, Ma'am?"

It wasn't so much formality on his part as it was habit. His mother had taught him to treat women with respect when he was growing up, and now that Virgil was an adult they were either 'Miss' or 'Ma'am' depending on their age. If he knew their names, he'd use them in comfortable situations.

"I don't mean to bother you while you're cookin', but I was looking for Stephanie. Have either of you ladies seen her?"

Re: Just another day

[melodymagic]

Melody glanced across at her mother who was elbows up in dealing with the large pot of soup and dumplings, so turned to answer the man.

"She just had to run to the store to get some more plates. There's been some breakages, and we're getting a little low," she told him. "With this weather there's a few more looking for something warm." The shelter was known for providing a lunch meal to more than those who were in residence, having an 'open door' policy for that meal, the evening meal reserved for those who had a bed there, as they'd learned over the years it was almost impossible to turn folks out after feeding them, when there were no beds left for the night.

"Can we give her a message?" she asked, trying to remember if she'd seen him around as he did look a little familiar, but she couldn't be sure.

Re: Just another day

[v_harkryder]

One big hand rubbed the back of his head, and now he was playing Place the Face too. The girl was probably just a volunteer, since locals came in a lot to donate time behind the scenes. And he only showed up occasionally, to drop off announcements about class schedule changes and pick up business cards. But the young face was familiar.

"I'm Virgil Harkryder," he said by way of introduction. "I do referrals for the shelter sometimes. I was just droppin' by to pick up some extra business cards. I didn't have an appointment or anything."

Re: Just another day

[melodymagic]

"Oh! That's right, I've seen you sometimes, when you've dropped in and talked to Stephanie," Mel replied, "I'm Melody and my mom and I do lunch here for her every Wednesday, to help out." She went to hold her hand out, then hesitated, dropping it down a little, unsure of whether he would take it.

Re: Just another day

[v_harkryder]

"It's nice to meet you, Melody."

Virgil was a foot taller than she was, and he hunched his shoulders a little so it didn't look like he was looming over her. Her hand was ridiculously small compared to his. He glanced at her mother, who seemed to be still occupied.

"It's good to see new faces," he remarked when he'd taken his hand back, "I thought I recognized you, but I only come by every couple of weeks. Are ya'll ready for the lunch rush?"

Re: Just another day

[melodymagic]

Melody watched her hand disappear into his, used to people being taller, but having to look up that far had her craning her neck a little.

"Yes, mom is just wrangling the dumplings into the soup," she told him, "because with this cold snap she figures they can use all the carbs they can get, so she made lots extra." She glanced at the clock on the wall and saw it was almost time to start serving, people already lined up at the door.

"Stephanie's not back, so if you want you could step in and help serve till she gets back," Mel suggested, indicating the buzz of people gathering outside. She wondered where Stephanie was, as she had been gone a little while now, and had planned on being back in time for serving. "Maybe the snow has made it hard for her to get to the store."

Re: Just another day

[v_harkryder]

"Yeah, I could do that," the veteran said with a nod. He was still holding his cap in his hands, and he looked around for a place to set it down before taking his jacket off as well. He'd done his share of kitchen duty in the army, and if they were short-handed until Stephanie got back he should pitch in and help.

"Are you in school?" he asked Melody as he washed his hands. She seemed about college age, although now that he was pushing forty most of the people he met seemed really young. "Or do you work somewhere?"

Re: Just another day

[melodymagic]

"Me? No, just finished," she told him, grabbing him an apron and putting it on the counter for him. "I work now, in a shop, and for my mom at events she caters when she needs the help," she told him, checking over the dishes that were ready, and grabbing a stack of bowls to put in place, ready for the serving of the soup. Her mother called out to her in broken English, telling her to go and open the doors and let the people in from the cold. Mel did that, managing to make it back to the kitchen in front of the flood of them who were mainly interested in getting in from the cold wind.

As she hurried back around the counter she distributed the serving utensils into each of the trays in the bain marie, her mother already checking on the next batch of dumplings. WIth barely a glance at Virgil Mel started ladling out the soup, making sure each bowl had at least four of the dumplings, as her mother had told her. She pointed to the other trays and called to Virgil, telling him what to serve up, before turning her attention back to the bowls she was filling, and the hungry faces that were waiting.

Re: Just another day

[v_harkryder]

Virgil worked efficiently and largely in silence, dishing up food and passing the plates over the counter to the waiting throng. Feeding the homeless wasn't that much different than feeding hungry soldiers, and his hands moved methodically as he fell into a rhythm. The routine was comforting.

The chatter from the dining area picked up in volume as people took their seats at the long tables that had been set up, and the crowd gradually dwindled. The veteran handed one last dish to a boy of about fourteen, who had accompanied his mother through the line. He put his hands against the small of his back and stretched to his full height with a smile.

"You're a pretty good worker," he told Melody with a muted chuckle. "Have you done food service before, or just when you volunteer here?"

Re: Just another day

[melodymagic]

Mel wiped her forehead, the steam from the soup and heat from the bain marie having helped her build up a slight sheen of perspiration. "I've been helping my parents waitress since I was about 14," she told him, resisting the temptation to levitate the trays for the dirty dishes up from under the benches. Her mother would have just rolled her eyes and turned away, but she wasn't about to do it in front of Virgil, so bent down to grab them and put them out on the servery for the return of the dishes.

"You're not bad yourself," she returned, indicating the remains in the trays. "You done this before?" she asked, looking across as Stephanie came in through the door, arms full of cartons, clearly full of more than just the extra plates she had gone to purchase.

[v_harkryder]

"When I was in the military, they'd serve food to lot of people at once," Virgil replied, waving at the kitchen set-up. He was always willing to talk about his army stint in generalities, but he never mentioned specifics. Even Mattie couldn't get it out of him. "It really is true, an army travels on it's stomach."

He spotted Stephanie with her armload of boxes, and he went to help her with the burden. They brought the parcels into the kitchen and set them down on a convenient table. "I see they put you to work," she said in a joking tone, and he nodded and smiled. "Yeah, I showed up just in time to pitch in. Melody was showing me the ropes."

[melodymagic]

"You should invite him to join the volunteer staff," Mel told Stephanie, "he can serve a plate of food like the best of us!" She smiled as she added, "and you wouldn't have to worry about any of those who might want seconds when other haven't had their firsts!"

[v_harkryder]

Virgil ducked his head modestly. "Ah, I didn't do that much. I was actually dropping by to pick up some cards with the shelter's number on them 'cause I ran out. But I like pitching in when I can."

"When lunch is over, I'll check my office," Stephanie answered, washing up at the sink after putting on an apron. Most of the crowd was still working on their first servings, but there were always stragglers who'd miss the beginning of the meal.

"If either you or your mother would like to drop by the gym, you're welcome to," the veteran told the girl. "The self-defense classes are a big draw, and I gear them towards ladies."