Voluntary lunchslaughter

Internets, I ned to get out into the community more. It's been several months since Roommate A began working at Project Open Hand, a local organization that provides nutrition services to seniors and people living with HIV/AIDS and other serious illnesses, and today a group of us volunteered at the Curry Senior Center, serving lunch to community seniors.

I arrived bright and (relatively) early (for a Saturday) and joined Roommates A and J, Kitten, Blanca and Bill Paxton to serve 120 meals of salmon (They called it salmon, but it was pretty white-looking to Panda!!!!), lentils, salad, vegetables, a nectarine and milk. Among us, Bill Paxton had the most waitressing experience, but somehow he managed to stay behind the scenes, on the plate assembly line.

Of course, my lovely friends and I made the event into our own little party! Some highlights:

* Blanca looking at a patron with a sea captain's cap and asking, "Is that for real?" - to which Bill Paxton replied "Yes, this is reality."
* When asked where Mahogany Sparkle was, Roommate J responded, "She's at home, being selfish."
* The fellow who tried to bite his nectarine, but instead tossed it over his shoulder and looked at his hand with puzzlement
* Bill Paxton smelling vodka on Blanca's breath
* Roommate J finding a 2-liter Mountain Dew bottle filled with whiskey under one of the tables
* The patron who asked Roommate A for some wine
* Blanca bristling at the hospital smell on Bill Paxton's newly-washed hands and Roommate J squeaking (yes, squeaking), "It means they're clean!"

After our strenuous volunteering, we lunched at the mall and celebrated Kitten's birthday, even though it's not his birthday.

But truly, it's been a while since I've been in my community and I really do think I need to volunteer more often. I probs will do this again.