Meals on Wheels...and my newest pet peeve

No. No. It's not about delivering the meals.
I don't really mind.
It's about those people who...well maybe I'd better explain.

The senior citizens' center cooks a hot meal in the middle of every weekday. They do their best to keep the price down so people on a fixed income can still afford the pleasure of eating out. Lots of older people in our community don't get out much. Being able to meet with their friends at the center for a time of food, fellowship, and dominoes, keeps them feeling a part of the community and the human race in general.
For those people too sick, too feeble, or too handicapped to make that once a day trip there exists: "Meals on Wheels".

Local churches volunteer to go pick up the meals and deliver them to each customer's front door. 
I helped Turtle deliver meals last week.
It was fun.
It was rewarding.
However it was also frustrating. You see...

I didn't mind delivering to the old, the feeble, the sick, the blind, the paranoid. They need it and I was happy to be their servant.

What I did mind was delivering on "brisket day", when everybody decided to take advantage of the wonderful menu and order meals. I don't pretend to speak for the cooks and those running the service from the grocery end; I hope they broke even. What I minded was delivering meals to those local businesses whose employees decided to eat brisket. There were forty deliveries that day. I was in the car for an hour and a half--all stop and go traffic. The fortunate patrons on the south end of town enjoyed  hot meals. Those at the other end not only had to wait extra time for their food, but they had to heat it up in the microwave when it finally got there--or eat it cold.

The time was mine. The gas was mine. I don't begrudge my charity to those who need it, but when I delivered four meals to the local newspaper office, and saw that there were four able-bodied workers who could have driven the three blocks to pick up their own food, it upset me, especially when I had to wait for one of them to finish her phone conversation so she could bring her check for the food.  We delivered to several businesses and to the local jail. Meanwhile, a blind lady in the north part of town waited patiently for her lunch; I'm sure it was cold when we finally got it to her.

We got home late, tired, and in a bad mood...well I speak for myself.

Turtle was pleasantly oblivious to the injustice of it all.
Next time I'm going to start at the north end of town. I'm going to deliver to all those who need it.
Then I'm going to take the cold brisket and warm salad to all the business people. So there.