third lunch

today was the third lunch. the newness of this is wearing off, and a routine is setting in. a typical day goes like this:

10:30 - head to the store to get groceries (i have become quite the bargain shopper)
11:15 - get back to the house and make lunches
12:15 - drive downtown
1:45 - all done

i usually go to the 23rd street bridge (formerly known as the courtyard), and look for the people i know down there, then i make my way towards downtown, stopping under bridges and through allys to find people hanging out (this is my favorite part, because sometimes i offer lunches to people who probably aren't homeless, and that makes me laugh, sometimes they are offended...), and then i head up to the east side and when i get out of the car, it takes no time to get rid of everything.

there are a few things that were pretty cool about this week. the routine is getting predictable, and it is easier to tell the person i am with how to do it and what to expect. i have taken a new person with me each time to talk with them about what i am doing, get their feedback, get some time to hang out with them and get to know them, and so they can tell other people about free lunch. it is always easier for me to get to know someone if we are working together to get something done. community happens in the margins (making lunches, going to the store, driving around, etc.), and that is the whole purpose of this, to develop community.

i run in to a few of the same people every week, i got to see chris again this week, a guy i met last week. chris always has a lot to tell me about the people who are chasing him down and how he has to protect himself because he has enemies, and you never know when they might come after you. i don't know exactly what is going on with chris, but i am glad i have run in to him a couple of times.

a few folks up on the east side recognized me when i pulled up, and that is always nice to be welcomed back. they usually take their lunch and run, so i don't really know any of them yet. i hope that i become a familiar face and be able to hang out for a while.

the familiarity of the routine is something i look forward to. it's like any regular routine, i take care of business and try to find the things in the routine that have meaning. i ask myself, what is important about this? there are a few things that are necessary to make it happen, but what is the essence of this routine? what should i really care about? i don't know the answers, but the search is great.