Every Monday I volunteer with our local Seniors Nutrition Project and deliver hot lunches for their “Meals on Wheels” program.  If Butterfly is not too busy, she goes along for the ride.  They’ve assigned me to a route that lots of folks don’t like, because it’s very rural.  I enjoy it, because it happens to be where I grew up.  I get to traipse all over the roads where I rode my horse, Gypsy, as a child.

The first time I went on the route, it was as a “ride-along” with a fellow who’s been driving it for over 10 years.  He was supposed to show me the ropes and turn me into a qualified Meals on Wheels driver.

Butterfly went with me that time, too, and we had quite a bit of fun with him.  He thought his 10 years counted towards seniority over us, when it came to knowing the lay of the land.

“Yup,” he said, as we moseyed along one back road, “my girl bought that house over there a few years back.  It’s been there forever.”

“I don’t think so,” I replied.

“Yes, it has,” he insisted.

“No, it hasn’t,” I insisted, equally forcefully.  “I can tell you that in the ‘60s and ‘70s, there was nothing there but horse pasture.  No house.  Define ‘forever’ and tell me, just how old do you think I am?”

“You’re kidding! I could’ve sworn that was an old house.”

“Old is a relative term,” I replied.

It was fun to see all the changes (read “growth”), but also depressing.  “Pave paradise, put up a parking lot …”

No matter, I will always enjoy zipping around the hills, up and down the dirt roads, bringing a bit of lightness (and a hot meal) to folks who might not otherwise see another living person that day.

As you can probably imagine, many of the clients are true characters.  I wish I had more time to spend with them, getting to know them and their stories.  And you know there are stories there, just waiting to be told, and to be heard.

Some of my favorite characters on the route aren’t even human. 

This birdseed is yummy!

This little fellow is always hanging about with his friends when I drive up to this particular house.  Often there are deer stealing his seed.  His seed?  I think the seed is for the birds.  The birds don’t stand a chance with all the competition.

You didn't want to sit here, did you?

It doesn’t get much more comfortable-looking than this!

Is it lunch time?

Where’s her waist?  I think someone is sharing their meal with this dog!

I don't eat much!

This guy has a choice location on the couch, but never says a word.

And what have you brought for me?

 I love this dog.  She’s a fine watchdog – she knows her job and performs it well.  Then she turns into a giant ball of love.  I could be persuaded to foster her for a long, long time.  Don’t tell Electric Horseman.