Apples

A hard food to give away, in more ways than one.

Would you like an apple, ma'am. I dug around my purse for the mid-afternoon snack I'd thrown in that morning. I had passed it up in favor of apple hi-chew. I held it out to her in all its shiny unwashed (the sticker was still on) glory though she seemed to be busy searching the floor of the subway for loose change.

I have no teeth, she said.

Of course -- why hadn't I noticed before? Retracting the apple, I hastily apologized and exited the train. A hungry man stood near the stairs asking for food and money... I offered him the fruit, but he also did not have any teeth.

A few hours later I was on my way home. I realized that all I'd had to eat that day was that pack of hi-chew... But the apple just did not look appetizing anymore, not that its appearance that changed since the morning except for a few nicks and bruises from bumping around in my bag all day.

I set it on my desk -- that was Tuesday. Later I decided on a spontaneous visit to Baltimore. Josh had asked me to overnight some stuff in the mail, I thought I'd do better. =P I barely made the Tuesday night train. And so much for my 4:45AM Thursday return to NY... I ended up staying in Bmore until Saturday evening. I like crabs. The non-STD kind.

The Amtrak lost power on my way back -- does that ever happen? We sat and waited for 80 minutes for another train to come so we could transfer. Saturday night I got back and the apple on my desk was looking pretty disgusting, though by then it was probably a lot softer than it had been Tuesday.

Next time I'll be armed with apple sauce... and spoons.

Praise God we do not always feel good and rewarded about our acts, intentions, attempts of generosity and service. It really is a mercy unto us...