Red's Wrap
Happiness. It's relative.
Chopped
How are you feeling?
OK.
Want to elaborate? What’s making you feel OK? You were feeling pretty bad earlier in the week.
I chopped a lot of peppers and sliced a bunch of onions for salads for homeless people.
That’s it?
Pretty much. I also signed up for every gun control organization on the planet. Now I’m getting fifty emails every day.
And somehow this is making you think you’re doing something about little kids getting shot at school?
No. Not really. It’s just a way to cope with my powerlessness. You know, do good things for the poor, send emails to elected officials. Oh, and go to vigils. I did that this week, too.
Were there a lot of people there – at the vigil?
The usual suspects, the people who always show up to that stuff. And about a hundred faith leaders who had to talk. It was a bottomless well of religious talkers.
Did it help? What they said – did it help you?
No. Anytime you have to ask God to fix something, it means stuff is really out of control. But, I have to say, our County Executive, who is half my age, spotted me in the crowd and came over to give me a hug. That gave me hope but I’m not sure why.
Rubbing elbows with the rich and powerful.
Maybe. His shoes were scuffed and needed polishing. I loved that about him.
So, are any homeless people eating your famous salad tonight?
Oh, I’m sure. But some of them got great big salads and some got skimpy ones because we got tangled up about portions. It happens a lot in the homeless cooking world.
It’s the thought that counts, right?
I guess. But most people would rather have more salad than somebody’s thoughts. Plus there’s a fundamental fairness issue but I can’t think about that. I did what I could this week.
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Snow Door | wisconsinacademy.org
Listen to Jan read her essay “Billy” presented on WUWM’s Lake Effect
Jan’s essay “At the Breakfast Bar” on WUWM Lake Effect
Jan’s essay “The Parish Hall,” on WUWM Lake Effect
“Fury Cannot Touch Me,” Modern Love, NYT, 9/29/11
They are called ‘taxi bosses’ here and they have private security with big guns. You may recall that the ANC were considered and in some places, still are, to be terrorists. Protests draw private security companies to protect shops and people. You can get any kind of gun anywhere in this country, usually without a licence and end up getting shot with your own gun. I hate guns. “No. Anytime you have to ask God to fix something, it means stuff is really out of control.” This resonated. All the vigils in the world can’t bring back those who were murdered. XXX
After church got to engage with a seriously underweight former member who had been using again but now was clean for seven days. He introduced me to his similarly underweight friend who had encouraged him to come to Mass. It was a good connection. If we run into them again we will take them to dinner. Didn’t think of it until we were back home! We try nonetheless in all things including gun violence.
I feel the same way: signing letters to elected officials, petitions, sending money, So called “ thoughts and prayers” don’t stop the murders. Stopping guns is more effective. Fewer guns, less ammunition, licensing, more counseling.
You might’ve been in my head on this one. We just keep plugging.
Yes. And the shootings keep coming.