Green Beans

Wednesday, July 28th 2010

It was a slightly different experience serving dinner at the Mission tonight than it has been in the past. Tonight, there was a group of 10 in to serve for their first time, plus Shawna and myself. Too many people in one kitchen. I decided to let the group take the front line (and dishes!) so they could really get the experience, while I hung out in the back re-stocking and making more and more batches of green beans!

It was kind of fun to learn some new tasks tonight, so if there's a time when we are really short-handed, I'll know how to handle it-hopefully. And Shawna didn't stop short of being the director of the kitchen, ordering us all around in her booming, yet friendly voice.

I realized I enjoy the interaction with those their for dinner more than hiding in the back cooking and cleaning. I thought about mingling with them in the dining area, and I did walk through once looking for an opportunity- and the confidence- to stop and chat. I didn't get any welcoming looks from anyone and kept walking on back to the kitchen. I felt like a coward in a way and I've got to work on this. Perhaps the more I do this, the easier it will become.

Shawna gave me a gift tonight that she had been telling me about for the past couple months, but kept forgetting to bring or not realizing I'd be there those same nights. It was a set of makeup that didn't fit her skin tone. The first night we met, she must have thought my skin was perfect for it because she never stopped talking about the makeup that she wanted to give me. It was so sweet and I'm trying to think of something to give her next time...

Peace :)