Chapter 3
Paige paused long enough to wipe perspiration from her forehead, using the back of her hand. Normally, while bagging food, she didn’t exert so much energy, but with the bad economy and the high unemployment rate, the food bank was experiencing an increase in clients. The longer lines caused Paige to move twice as fast to keep up with the demand. Too busy to slip a printed invite to her church inside each bag, Paige said a quick prayer over each bag before placing it in the rotation for handing out.
Praying the strangers in need would be able to stretch the food bags until their next pay cycle had to gain Paige some atonement for her attitude the past three days. She’d prayed, fasted, and read the Bible every day, but none of that had yielded her a peaceful night’s rest. Wednesday night Bible study and the all-night intercessory prayer hadn’t removed the guilt she felt over uncharacteristically snapping at everyone in her office for things as minor as forgetting to turn off the conference room light. This morning, as she’d done every day since receiving salvation, Paige promised God she wouldn’t do anything to bring shame to the kingdom.
“I tell you, these lines get longer every week,” the lady working next to Paige stated as they removed the packaging from a case of pasta sauce. “If it weren’t for God’s grace, I’d be standing on the other side.”
Paige read the name tag on the left side of the woman’s chest. “Loraine, isn’t that the truth.” Paige paused momentarily to observe those on the opposite side of the partition, who were waiting for food. Nowadays, the “needy” weren’t so easy to spot. With the bad economy, need no longer equated to dirty, smelly clothing, matted hair, and worn-down shoes. A good portion of those in line appeared to be working-class people who just so happened to come up short at the end of every month.
Her eyes zeroed in on two people who she assumed were a mother and her teenage son, and for a split second, jealousy gripped her. The mother appeared to be scolding her son, who seemed embarrassed to be there. She would trade in all her success for a chance to stand in any line with her son, to argue with him about homework and expensive tennis shoes, or even about cleaning his room.
Loraine’s tap on her shoulder brought Paige’s focus back to the task at hand. “We’d better move faster. This line is multiplying.”
Paige shook her head to clear it. She had to stay focused if she wanted to keep from being trampled. The people in line looked as if they would pounce on her any second for the bag of groceries. With renewed energy, she grabbed two five-pound bags of potatoes and stuffed them inside two empty bags. Several bags later, Paige became distracted again.
“Hello, Miss Paige.”
She knew that voice. After stuffing cabbage and a bag of rice inside a bag, Paige turned around and looked into the eyes of her prized student.
“Seniyah? What are you doing here?” As soon as the words left her mouth, Paige regretted them. Given her home dynamics, if anyone needed free groceries, it was Seniyah. Paige felt the young girl’s embarrassment when her shoulders slumped and her head dropped. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to embarrass you. I’m surprised to see you, that’s all.”
“My mother couldn’t make it today, so I had to come.” Seniyah used her arms to close her worn jacket with the missing buttons but didn’t raise her head.
Paige’s heart went out to the young girl. More than likely, Seniyah needed the groceries to keep from starving next week. As hard as she tried to understand Seniyah’s hardship, Paige couldn’t fully comprehend it. Her father had made sure their family never went without. Paige wiped sweat beads from her forehead, mentally tuned out the chaos around her, and studied the young woman. Something wasn’t right. Seniyah’s wavy hair was more unkempt than normal, and her eyes appeared glossy.
“Are you feeling all right?” Paige asked while gently placing an arm around the girl’s shoulders.
Seniyah lifted her head, but her eyes were focused on the volunteers behind Paige. “I’m just tired. It’s been a long morning.”
“Don’t I know it.” Paige patted her shoulder and then went to select a bag for her. Before handing Seniyah the bag, she added an additional bag of rice and a box of cereal.
“Thank you,” Seniyah said, balancing the bag against her hip and finally making eye contact.
“Anytime.” Paige smiled as an idea formed in her mind. She would try to minister to Seniyah. “If you can stick around for about forty-five minutes, we can go and have lunch, and then I’ll drive you home.”
Seniyah’s head shook almost violently. “No, thank you, Miss Paige. I can walk. It’s not that far. I have a lot of work to do around the house. Plus, I have homework. And I still have to do a marketing plan for DWAP before Monday’s session.” Her words ran together, and Paige assumed Seniyah was too embarrassed about her appearance to hang out.
“Well, maybe next time,” Paige said, acquiescing, although she was disappointed. She would have loved to spend some uninterrupted time mentoring Seniyah. There were so many things she could teach her to prepare her for college. “Keeping those grades up is your number one priority. Stanford is waiting.” Paige beamed with pride.
Loraine cleared her throat.
“I have to get back to work. I’ll see you on Monday,” Paige told Seniyah.
“Sure,” Seniyah answered hurriedly and then rushed away.
“Call me if you need my help,” Paige called after her, but Seniyah had disappeared in the sea of the less fortunate. She shrugged off the quick dismissal and dove back into her work.
Fifteen minutes later, when the next person she recognized approached, Paige nearly dropped a sack of potatoes on her foot.
“Let me help you with that,” the gentleman offered and at the same time bent down and picked up the potatoes. “I need two bags please,” he announced once he was upright.
Paige’s mouth hung open as she fixated on the stranger who had barged into her office four days ago and had left her feeling like an idiot. She hadn’t noticed the goatee and the square chin at their first meeting. He couldn’t have been wearing that citrus-scented fragrance, either; surely she would have noticed that. He looked right through Paige as if she wasn’t there.
“Where would you like me to set these?” he asked, holding up the sack of potatoes.
“Since you need two bags, you can keep those,” Loraine said when Paige didn’t respond readily.
“Thank you, miss.”
Paige stood back and watched Loraine blush and pat her hair and then straighten her clothing. In a matter of seconds the man with the light brown skin and black, wavy hair had Loraine acting like a teenager. Paige shook her head in disgust.
“What are you doing here?” Paige failed to hide the irritation in her tone. Certainly this man with the perfect set of ultra-white, straight teeth and the designer jeans, not to mention the leather jacket, wasn’t in need of free groceries.
The man offered a smirk instead of a smile. “Miss McDaniels, we meet again. You’re not a morning or an afternoon person. Let’s plan our next chance meeting at night. Maybe your manners will kick in by then.”
“Ouch!” Loraine said and then resumed stuffing bags.
Paige refused to allow someone who was taking from those who really needed assistance to insult her. “Don’t worry about my manners. At least I don’t steal from the needy.” She felt a healthy dose of satisfaction when the smile fell from his face.
He gestured for the guy behind him to go in front of him. “So you think I’m a thief because I asked for two bags?”
Paige placed a completed bag on the table in front of him. “The fact that you’re in this line at all is sinful. Your jeans cost more than most of the people in this neighborhood make in a month. A few days ago you waltz into my business, claiming to have money to burn. And now you’re in the free food line?” Paige folded her arms and cocked her head to the side. “Sounds like stealing from the poor to me.”
“You are a real piece of work.” He shook his head. “And just think, you do all this in the name of the Lord. I hate to think how you would act if you didn’t know Jesus.”
Paige paused, then placed the second bag on the table. “What is that supposed to mean?”
He balanced both bags in his arms before answering. “It’s simple. When you pick up that big Bible I know you have at home, try reading Matthew chapter seven, verse one, while listening to that worship music. Then get a good dictionary to break down the words for you. Then maybe you can live the Word and not just read it.”
Paige’s cheeks burned with anger. “Just what do you know about the Word?” she barked, forgetting she was in a building filled with people she was supposed to be helping.
“Obviously, a lot more than you.”
As she watched the stranger walk away, Paige’s mouth hung open for the second time that day.