Empty Plate, Full Stomach

Prompt 1: Write a story that includes a recipe, grocery list, or restaurant review.

Prompt 2: Start or end your story with an empty plate, empty glass, or something burning.

Empty Plate, Full Stomach

Since Daddy died two years ago, Momma and I got by on what we had. She would always remind me that our lives wouldn’t be easy. She would quote Jesus saying “… I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?”

Momma’s faith held us together. She promised me that there would always be a loving hug for me and something to eat when I got home from school. Sometimes the food she prepared was not so tasty, but I made sure my plate was always emptied because I did not want to disappoint her. “An empty plate brings honor to the cook,” so she said to me.

During the day when Momma worked and when there was no school, I would stay with an older cousin. She lived in another apartment building three blocks away. Momma was always concerned about the crossfire from the gang bangers. Daddy was shot dead by a banger’s shooting spree two years ago. She never stops worrying about me when I travel to my cousin’s place and even to school which was less than a block away.

Today, however, was different. Momma was sick and our plates remained empty. Thankfully school was out on holiday for Christmas. I was trying to take care of her the best I could, but for a ten-year-old that proved to be a challenge. My cousin was not available to come and help because she had two younger kids at home. It was approaching lunch and neither one of us had eaten anything. When I opened the refrigerator and cupboards there was nothing. I mean nothing. Momma was too weak to go down to the mini mart at the corner of our street. I could tell she was feeling bad about it when I told her we had nothing to eat.

But she was insistent saying she would go. Momma got out of bed but I protested. She started to put on a coat, gloves and shoes. I again pleaded with her.

“Momma please get back into bed. You need your rest. Give me a list and some money so I can go.”

Momma replied, “I ain’t gonna let no son of mine go hungry, especially since you don’t get school lunches with the school on break.”

I got emotional with tears welling up in my eyes. “Momma please let me go!”

Momma relented and with a stern warning told me to go straight to the mart and return quickly home. She said “Willie, I know you well. Do not dawdle. Please return home quickly to me. Here’s some money and a list of things you need to buy. It ain’t much but it is all I have now.”

And then Momma reminded me, “Jesus said “…It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.’ Keep this always in your heart Willie, especially when you are hungry and your plate is empty. I love you, my boy!”

Pondering her words in my heart, I took the money and list. I wasted no time heading out the door on this very cold Chicago morning. My breath froze on the tip of my nose and my upper lip. About halfway to the mart, I looked at the list. It was a very short list:

two pounds of lard;

two packages of beans;

two small potatoes;

two small bags of flour;

two cans of chicken broth.

Five different items. I knew my Momma could spin these items into a splendid meal or two. I felt my stomach rumble at the thought of a hot meal.

My attention toward my stomach quickly changed when I nearly tripped over a man huddled on the sidewalk in front of an alleyway. His arm was outstretched holding an empty cup.

I nearly ripped his cup out of his hand as I passed by him. I said curtly “Sorry. I didn’t see you blocking my way!”

I scrambled around him proceeding on my walk. Suddenly, I felt like I had run into a wall. An ache in my chest made me stop in my tracks. It wasn’t a typical ache. I felt a heaviness. I was then overwhelmed with a deep sense of regret.

I turned back to the man huddling on the walk. He was shivering and looked very thin. His eyes were drawn deep into his sockets. His face was swollen, and I assumed from the cold.

I asked him “Do you have a home mister?”

He raised his arm and shakily pointed into the alleyway. I saw a large cardboard box covered in plastic bags that were tied together. Alongside the box was a shopping cart filled with what I assumed to be his treasures: empty cans, pieces of cloth, Styrofoam containers, and a small plastic Jesus.

I felt an incredible sense of despair and helplessness. I wasn’t exactly in a position to help this man. My momma had barely given me enough for the two of us. I looked at the money. I looked at the list. Momma had given me money to buy two of everything on the list. I thought If I divide the money in half, I should have enough money to buy one set of items.

If my Momma was here with me, she’d say “Jesus would tell me, “…Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’”

So I grabbed the man’s cup and put half of my money into it and mistakenly the list. With sullen eyes he asked me what my name was. I whispered, “Willie.”

I continued making my way to the mini mart. Once inside I saw a young woman with a small child. She was holding a baby wrapped in a blanket at the store counter. The man behind the counter was sternly saying to her:

“Lady, this is no charity. I need you to pay for your entire order or take off some of the items from your order. That’s how I my survive in my business.”

The baby started crying and her child was starting to fuss. “Mama, I am hungry,” she cried out. The woman appeared desperate. She tried to bargain with the man but he would have nothing of the sort.

“I’m only a few dollars short and I need these things to feed my children,” she lamented. The man was disgusted. Both were at a stalemate. The tension was thick and I could see the anxiety of the woman and the frustration of the man.

I thought to myself, I wish my Momma was here. Maybe she could have sorted things out. A moment of inspiration hit me. Momma would have offered another quote to me. “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” I knew what I had to do.

I felt it was my duty to stop the hostility and break the tension. I had to bring peace to the lady and give what was due to the grocery man. I reached into my pocket pulling out the rest of the money for our dinner items.

Hesitantly I put the money on the counter saying, “Mister, will this cover what the lady owes? It’s all I got. Please be kind to her for the sake of her kids.”

The man looked at me and then at the lady. He said “Lady, this is your lucky day. The milk and infant formula are on special! And this young man’s money should cover the rest of your items.”

The lady was overcome with gratitude, so much so she hugged me and kissed my cheek. (Yuck!) Like the old man on the sidewalk, she too asked my what my name was. I told her my name and then I left the mart without additional fanfare or accolades. I needed to get home to tell Momma what I had done. Hopefully, the music I would face would be a sweet sound.

I scrambled out the door and began my hurried trek back home. I was near the spot where the old man was but he was nowhere in sight. I looked down the alleyway and his cardboard home was gone. I was hoping the police didn’t see me giving him money and thinking he was panhandling. Maybe they moved him to another area. I prayed he was safe and warm. I had to get home soon so my Momma would not worry.

I raced inside the building. I flew up the stairs like I was being chased by a lion. When I reached the door, I could smell what seemed like a roasted chicken coming from inside our apartment. When I opened the door, I saw Momma standing at the kitchen table grinning from ear to ear. I had to rub my eyes. There was a large chicken, with Cajun gravy, yams, cornbread dressing, collard greens, apples, and sweet potato pie.

“Look Willie, see this fabulous feast! See what the Lord has provided! Come, let us give thanks to the Lord!”

My mouth dropped to the floor. I stammered asking Momma, “Momma where did this all come from?”

“Wille, do you believe in miracles? Well after today I am certain of them! An elderly man and a woman came by with a caterer saying they had a delivery for you and I. They even called you by name, Willie. So, you must have known them from somewhere.”

“Momma, I know God provides and I believe in His angels too. I think I met two of them during my trip to the mart.”

Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it!

On this day, I emptied my plate more than once.

-END-

On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’”

He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”

And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” And then he said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.”

(in order of their use) Matthew 6:25, NKJV; Luke 4:4, NKJV; Matthew 25:40, NKJV; Matthew 5:9, NKJV; Hebrew 13:2, NLT; John 7: 37-38, NLT; Revelation 21: 4-5, NLT

NKJV=New King James Version; NLT= New Living Translation

Author: Peter Gautchier

Acknowledgement: Reedsy.com Prompts