Miscellaneous Junk

Day 160: Miscellaneous Junk
This is a box of miscellaneous junk that I collected in a cardboard box while making the room switch. It includes:

• A very small shelf with pegs for hanging things on, which came free with some garden store merchandise years ago, and which I picked up off the free table at work. It used to hang on Emma's wall but it's been years since it was hanging
• A faded green damask comforter cover which I believe my brother bought and used in Africa
• A Vera Bradley handbag, never used (by us, anyway), which a co-worker brought to a naked ladies party I threw last year and which we thought we might use someday
• A tiny Tibetan peace flag which came in the mail with a fundraising pitch
• A little blue locker shelf that I bought in an effort to help keep a middle school locker organized, which did not actually fit in the locker but which I could not bear to get rid of because I'd paid good money for it

I planned to get rid of this box on Sunday, the same day Sam and I made a grocery run to Meijer's. Ten years ago, both kids went to the grocery store each and every time I shopped, because they were too little (six and seven) to be left home alone. Sam constantly complains that there is "no food in the house" when there is clearly enough food to feed a Masai village for a month. I've been trying to lure Sam to the store for several years with the promise that he would be allowed to buy anything he wants, thereby solving for himself the "no food in the house" problem. I'm not sure why he finally agreed to make the trip, but off we went together, late Sunday afternoon.

This is what he chose:

• Cherry frosted Pop Tarts
• Apple Jacks and Cinnamon Toast cereal
• Frozen shrimp for stir fry
• Barbecue potato chips and salt & vinegar potato chips
• Rye bread
• Beef jerky
• Cheddar cheese so sharp it squeaks in your teeth
• Freezer pops
• A twelve pack of A&W root beer
• Bananas, basque pears, raspberries and blueberries ("I might eat a peach if you cut it up for me")
• Chicken sausage
• Frosted animal cookies
• Suave shampoo, rainwater scent

All this, in addition to our regular fare, cost about $150.

As we were driving out of the Meijer parking lot, we drove past a family of four standing by a stop sign. The man was holding up a big hand-lettered cardboard sign which said, "HOMELESS! Lost my job! Family of four! Jesus loves you!" He was smiling and waving pleasantly at each vehicle that stopped at the sign. His wife held one child on her hip, and the other, about waist-high, huddled up against her. She looked tired.

As we passed, I asked Sam, "What do you think of that?"

"I think it's sad."

"Do you think we should give them some money?"

"Yes." 

So I pulled over, saying "I'm not sure I have any money." (See previous references to how having teenagers at home cleans you out.) I was thinking about the $150 in junk food groceries, and the box of miscellaneous useless stuff about to go to the PTO Thrift Shop. Sam took his wallet out of his back pocket and took out five ones, all the money he has in the world, at least until I pay him for his next set of chores. I pulled my wallet out of my purse and handed him what little cash was in it.

"Eleven dollars," he said. "That ought to at least buy them a meal."

In the car on the way home, he asked whether I thought we were giving that family money so we wouldn't feel like shit heels, or if we were giving them money because we wanted to help them. After some conversation, we decided it really didn't matter why were giving them the money. Whatever our motivation, the end result was the same.

Proud.