Short Stories by Phoenix Hocking

Clara Martin had fallen on hard times.  Perhaps it would be more accurate to say that hard times had fallen on Clara Martin!    Old Mother Hubbard's cupboard had more food than hers, and she was understandably depressed.
Now, Clara was not a slacker nor someone who spent a lifetime taking advantage of “the system.”  No indeed.  Clara was a hard worker, a college graduate (only an AA degree, but still . . .), and until recently, had worked her whole adult life.
She was single, having also recently lost her husband.  Now, why do people say that, she thought.  Why do people say “lost” as if their spouse has simply been misplaced somewhere?  Charles is dead; and I know where he is.
And at that she smiled, picturing her Charles in Heaven, where she knew him to be at this very moment.
But that didn't help her current situation.  Clara was still alone, broke, almost penniless, and there was no food in the house to speak of.
She had met someone in the parking lot of her apartment complex who told her about a food bank where the woman volunteered.  Never in a million years had Clara thought she would find herself at a food bank.  She had always worked.  She and Charles had owned property, had nice things, traveled.
But Charles was dead, and when he died, the property, the nice things and the travel died with him.  She was left to live on his Social Security survivor's benefits, and sometimes there was simply too much month left at the end of the money.
I can't possibly go to a food bank, Clara said to herself.  I'd be too embarrassed.  What if somebody I know sees me?  I would just die!  I can't do this.  I can't!
But just then, her empty stomach spoke to her, and she plucked up her courage and said aloud, “Well, Clara old girl, you have to eat.  You may not like it, but you have to do it.”
So Clara put her pride aside, got into the old clunker (that still ran, for which she was very grateful) and went to the place her neighbor had told her about.
The experience wasn't nearly as horrible as she had feared.  The line was longer than she anticipated, but the people in the line were friendly and helpful.  The lady at the intake window was kind and didn't spew her information all over the room, but instead spoke in low tones, with respect.
She received her yellow tag, went to the window designated, then went to stand outside in the shade while she waited for her box.  A very nice young man came out and carried the box to the car for her.
“Have a good day, ma'am,” he said.  And he smiled at her.
When she got home, she unpacked the box, grateful for the bounty.  This is what she got:
1 dozen cookies,
1 loaf Italian Herb focaccia bread, 1 pkg white corn tortillas,

1 pkg blackberries, 1 pkg brussels sprouts, 1 lb hamburger,

1 container Philadelphia cooking creme (Savory lemon herb flavor),

6 bananas, 1 head of cauliflower, 1 large chili pepper, 1 artichoke,

2 avocados, 2 yellow bell peppers, 2 nectarines, 3 tomatoes,

1 large white onion, 1 18 oz bag of Oat Blenders cereal,

1 bag white rice, 1 15 oz container of Naked pomegranate acai juice,

1 can corn, 1 can fruit cocktail in heavy syrup, 2 cans tuna,

1 can Mild green chile enchilada sauce, 2 cans tomato sauce,

2 Jello Temptations pudding (French silk pie flavor), and

7 small cans of ?????  No label.

Well, thought Clara.  This is quite a haul.

She set about making something for dinner.  She cut up the onion and put it in a bowl, then added one of the bell peppers.  She chopped a tomato and threw that in.  The hamburger was frozen, so that was out, but she had a hot dog left from her latest trip to the 99¢ store, so that went in as well.
The focaccia was hard and stale, but there was nothing green on it, so she cut off a slice and cut into chunks, then put the bread on a plate.  She had some butter left over from her days of wealth, so put some of that in the skillet and added in all the ingredients.  She let it saute' for a while and thought, This is going to be awfully dry.
She looked at the expiration date on the Philly.  It was two months out of date, but it hadn't been opened and when she sniffed it, it smelled okay.   Just for kicks, she decided to open one of the cans that had no label.  It was as she thought, canned peaches.  Oh, what the heck, she thought, and in that went as well.
When the goulash in the pan had cooked she covered the chunks of bread with it, sat down at the table, said grace, and dug in.  It was surprisingly good.
And when she was done, she opened the container of cookies and had two for dessert.
Well, she thought, I guess I can do this after all.