Chapter 40 Thanksgiving Day

Autumn in Detroit is very short, it seems to be over in a few minutes, the trees quickly become bare, and the autumn in the city fades in a blink of an eye. Under the gray sky and the early snow, there is only a pile of barren concrete blocks.We close the windows and take out our heavy coats.Our unemployment rate is skyrocketing, many people can't pay their home loans, some people just pack up and leave, leaving the whole world to bankers or bad creditors.November is not over yet, and the long winter is approaching. On the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, I went to Siblings to see for myself the homeless shelter it runs.I'm still not entirely comfortable with Reverend Henry.His church is different in every way at least I think it is.But the Archmage's words echoed in my ears: You can stand up for the truth of your beliefs and still allow others to believe in other things.

Not to mention, when it comes to the community thing, Detroit is also my home.So, I got involved.I bought Henry a blue tarp to cover the leaking part of his ceiling and at least keep his church from flooding.The ceiling was a much larger project, estimated by one contractor at eighty thousand dollars. Wow.We heard the valuation, and Henry exclaimed.The sum of money raised by his church in recent years is less than $80,000.I feel sorry for him.But such a sum has to come from more committed patrons.A tarp, a preliminary test, is enough for me. I got out of the car and the biting wind beat my cheeks.Because homeless people are accommodated here, there are several people wrapped in thick clothes to keep out the cold in the alley next to it.Two of them are smoking.I saw a small man with a small child in his arms, and as I approached, I realized that it was actually a woman in a ski hat.I opened the door for her and she walked in front of me with the baby on her shoulder.

As soon as you enter, you can hear a harsh hum, as loud as a small engine running.Then there was another shout.I turn into the elevated walkway overlooking the gym.The ground was filled with folding tables, and there were about eighty homeless men and women sitting around the tables.They were wearing old overcoats and hooded sweatshirts.Several wore hooded jackets; another wore a Detroit Lions jacket. Henry stood in the middle of the room, wearing a blue sweatshirt and a heavy overcoat, walking from desk to desk, shifting his weight from one leg to the other from time to time. I am useful!he shouted.

I am useful!Everyone repeated. I'm really useful!he yelled again. I'm really useful!They follow suit. Because God loves me! Because God loves me! A few people clapped their hands.Henry breathed a sigh of relief and nodded.One by one, many homeless people stood up, formed a circle, held hands, and recited a prayer. Then, as if at an order, the circle broke up and everyone marched in single file to the kitchen to receive hot food. I pull my coat tight.Feeling unusually cold. Good night, Mr. Mitch. I looked up to see Cass, the one-legged church elder, sitting in the aisle with a clipboard.The way he greeted me was so light and good night, Mr. Mitch, I felt as if he would hold his hat and salute.I heard he lost that leg a few years ago to complications from diabetes and heart surgery.Nevertheless, he always seemed to be in good spirits.

Hi Cass. The pastor is below. Henry raised his head and waved his hand.Cas watched me and waved back. Listen to my story sometime, Mr. Mitch? Do you have a story too? I have a story you should hear. Judging from your tone, it seems that you will talk for several days. He laughed: no, no.But you should listen, it's important. OK, Cass.We arrange next time. This seemed to put him at ease, and thankfully he stopped insisting.I shivered and pulled my coat tighter. It's cold in here, I said. They turned off the heat. who? gas company. Why? Why else?No gas bill, I suppose. The buzzing noise is too loud.We have to shout so that the other party can hear us.

What is this sound?I asked. fan. He pointed out to me several yellow machines, pocket-sized cloth weather vanes that blow warm air on homeless people who line up for chili and corn cakes. Did they really turn off your heat?I said. That's right. But winter is coming. This is real.Cass looked down at the crowd below and said: More people will be here soon. Thirty minutes later, in the upstairs office, Henry and I were huddled in front of his portable heater.Someone came in and served us corn cakes on paper plates. what happened?I asked. Henry sighed: In the end we owed the gas company 37,000 yuan.

What? I know we are late, but the amount is small.We will always try to pay a little.Unexpectedly, it was so cold early this fall that we started turning on the heat in the church during services and Bible study.Didn't expect that big hole in the roof Absorbed all the heat? Go up, go out.we keep heating And the heat keeps disappearing from the roof. disappear.He nodded: That's not bad at all. what do you do now Well, we have fans.At first, they even cut off our electricity.But I called them and begged them to leave us something anyway. I can't believe it.A church is freezing, this is twenty-first century America.

According to your religion, how does this explain it?I said. I often ask Jesus this question.Henry said: I said: Jesus, what have we done wrong?Is it like the twenty-eighth chapter of "Deuteronomy" said: If you don't obey God's words, you will be baited and cursed in the city, and cursed in the field? How did Jesus answer you? I am still praying.I said: God, we ask to see you. he sighed. So that tarp you donated is extra important, Mitch.Those of us here need a glimmer of hope.It rained last week and flooded the church; it also rained this week, but nothing happened.In their eyes, this is a miracle.

I squirm uncomfortably.I don't want to be part of a miracle, especially not in a Christian church.A tarp is just a tarp, a piece of blue plastic. May I ask you a question?I said. certainly. When you were selling drugs, how much money did you usually have on hand? He rubbed the back of his neck with his hands: Brother, you know what, in one breath, for about a year and a half, I earned about half a million. And now you even have the gas cut out? yes.He whispered: Now even the gas has been cut. I didn't ask him again if he missed the past.Thinking about it now, just asking the question just now was cruel enough.

Later, when all the dishes were cleared and the folding tables were put away, Cass took the clipboard and called: Alfred!De Marcus!The homeless people stepped forward one by one and received a thin plastic mattress and a wool blanket.Side by side, a few feet apart, they made beds for the night.Some packed their belongings in plastic garbage bags, others had nothing but clothes.It's freezing cold here.Cass' voice bounced off the gym ceiling.Most of these people were silent, as if until this moment they really understood what it was all about: no home, no bed, no wife and children to say goodnight.

Fan call sign. An hour later, Cass finished his work. He propped up his crutches and swung into the corridor outside.The lights in the gym were dimmed and everyone was getting ready for bed. Remember, I will tell you my story next time.Cass said. All right, sure, Cass, I said.My hands were buried deep in my pockets, my arms and torso were shaking.I can't imagine how this group of people can sleep in the cold, but they have no choice but to sleep on the roof or in an abandoned car. I was about to leave when I suddenly remembered that I had left a notebook in Henry's office.I climbed upstairs, but the door was locked.I had to go back downstairs. Before heading out, I took one last peek at the gym.I heard the steady hum of a fan, and saw a dark mass bulge under the blanket, someone lying still, someone tossing slightly.It's hard to say what moved me emotionally at the moment, but I can only say that I think that every shadow is a person, everyone was once a child, every child was once held in the arms of the mother, and now it is like this: the world The lowest, cold gym floor. I don't know how God can't be heartbroken by this even though we once disobeyed him. My eyes caught a glimpse of a figure across the aisle.A large, lonely figure sat in the shadows.Reverend Henry would stay there for hours, watching over the homeless like a guard until the night watchman arrived.Then he would put on more warm clothes, leave by the side door, and walk home. I felt a sudden urge to return to the warmth of my own bed.I pushed the door open and blinked.It started to snow. I walk a mile with pleasure, and she chatters along the way; But I didn't grow wiser, listening to her babble for so long. ∮ I walk a mile with sorrow, and she doesn't speak a word; But oh!How much I have learned when sadness is my company. Robert.Browning.Robert Browning Hamilton