Easy Night

Nightwatch volunteer at St. James ministry fair

I am back at the dispatch center tonight, 7:30 to midnight because John wasn't feeling well. But it was the first of the month, lots of shelter, ridiculous amount of shelter out there tonight -- closed with tons of places left open. It's a very warm night, no one wants to smell the stinky feet.

I'm cruising along, killing time the last hour. "R" shows up late, wanting the Queen Anne shelter for men. Told him I'd take him over at midnight, so he waited around.

He's giving me a bad time, teasing me about drinking. Asked me what I am (kind of a weird question, but the clerical collar is a curiousity). When I told him I'm Methodist, he asks "Free Methodist?" and I was startled, trying to remember if I had told him something last time I saw him.

"Yes, Free Methodist, so what?"

"Church on Queen Anne Hill?"

"Yes."

Turns out he went to church at First Free Methodist when he was younger -- lived on Dravus. Now he's trying to rebuild his life after jail and drugs. He's discouraged.

I gave him a lift to the shelter, and breathed a prayer over him as he clambered out of my too-small car.

Rick