| General Non-Fiction posted November 8, 2021 |
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Blindsided by unwanted houseguest
Charity by Proxy
by Elizabeth Emerald
My friend Scott, perpetually short of funds, donates elbow grease to the toilets in the First Baptist Church every Sunday night.
Last night, after letting himself into the church, he was startled by a striking russet-haired woman.
Janice introduced herself and said she was told to wait for him in the hopes he'd put her up for the night, so she wouldn't have to spend the cold night in her car.
Scott is well known in town for providing short-term shelter to troubled people who have nowhere else to go.
What those in the know do not know is that Scott has nowhere else to go.
Most of the space in his house is allocated to his repair shop. He has a single bathroom and bedroom, which he forfeits to guests, in "favor" of sleeping on a cot in his basement, wherein he has a yellowed toilet, a dingy sink, and a hot plate.
Whenever he gets notice, Scott stocks his quarters with the essentials: soap, towels, and sponges (one for dishes, one for skin); cans of fruit cocktail and Campbell's soup; a bunch of bananas, and a loaf of bread.
Scott, taken by surprise, stalled for time as he assessed his preparedness for camping out.
Scott asked Janice who instructed her to wait for him in the empty church.
Janice said it was the church secretary, Mrs. Barr.
Scott knows Mrs. Barr well; she often drops by. Just the other day, she mentioned her resident granddaughter had moved out, thus freeing up a second bedroom in her three-bedroom house.
My friend Scott, perpetually short of funds, donates elbow grease to the toilets in the First Baptist Church every Sunday night.
Last night, after letting himself into the church, he was startled by a striking russet-haired woman.
Janice introduced herself and said she was told to wait for him in the hopes he'd put her up for the night, so she wouldn't have to spend the cold night in her car.
Scott is well known in town for providing short-term shelter to troubled people who have nowhere else to go.
What those in the know do not know is that Scott has nowhere else to go.
Most of the space in his house is allocated to his repair shop. He has a single bathroom and bedroom, which he forfeits to guests, in "favor" of sleeping on a cot in his basement, wherein he has a yellowed toilet, a dingy sink, and a hot plate.
Whenever he gets notice, Scott stocks his quarters with the essentials: soap, towels, and sponges (one for dishes, one for skin); cans of fruit cocktail and Campbell's soup; a bunch of bananas, and a loaf of bread.
Scott, taken by surprise, stalled for time as he assessed his preparedness for camping out.
Scott asked Janice who instructed her to wait for him in the empty church.
Janice said it was the church secretary, Mrs. Barr.
Scott knows Mrs. Barr well; she often drops by. Just the other day, she mentioned her resident granddaughter had moved out, thus freeing up a second bedroom in her three-bedroom house.
Last night, after letting himself into the church, he was startled by a striking russet-haired woman.
Janice introduced herself and said she was told to wait for him in the hopes he'd put her up for the night, so she wouldn't have to spend the cold night in her car.
Scott is well known in town for providing short-term shelter to troubled people who have nowhere else to go.
What those in the know do not know is that Scott has nowhere else to go.
Most of the space in his house is allocated to his repair shop. He has a single bathroom and bedroom, which he forfeits to guests, in "favor" of sleeping on a cot in his basement, wherein he has a yellowed toilet, a dingy sink, and a hot plate.
Whenever he gets notice, Scott stocks his quarters with the essentials: soap, towels, and sponges (one for dishes, one for skin); cans of fruit cocktail and Campbell's soup; a bunch of bananas, and a loaf of bread.
Scott, taken by surprise, stalled for time as he assessed his preparedness for camping out.
Scott asked Janice who instructed her to wait for him in the empty church.
Janice said it was the church secretary, Mrs. Barr.
Scott knows Mrs. Barr well; she often drops by. Just the other day, she mentioned her resident granddaughter had moved out, thus freeing up a second bedroom in her three-bedroom house.
 Recognized |
#37 November 2021 |
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