I passed an officer today in my little Puff Truck on my way to pick up a grocery order. Well, I didn’t pass them because of speed, I passed them because their lane was backed up and the traffic wasn’t moving along like it should. There was a time I would look to see if I knew the officer (and wave), but things have changed so much over the years, I don’t know many officers in my own division anymore and they don’t know me. Retirements, promotions, transfers, new recruits etc. Were all those years of meals for naught?
I made a right turn into a shopping center to pick up my grocery order, and the officer went straight. I pulled into the designated pick-up space and was waiting for the store clerk to come out with my order. A few minutes later, a police SUV slowly made its way through the parking lot and pulled right in front of my truck and turned on their steady blue light. An officer got out who I recognized. She came over to my passenger window and said “Hi, Ann…I thought that was you”, and she asked how I had been. She said my name had come up recently with another officer and they were talking about all the dinners at my table and how much they enjoyed them. One officer told me years ago how much he loved to hear during roll call that “Miss Ann is cooking dinner tonight.” I think it gave some of the officers something to look forward to during a long workday and it gave me something to look forward to as well. I have been on 5 ride-alongs and sometimes these officers are eating on the go or not at all.
During Covid, gatherings everywhere were prohibited and my home was no exception, and after Covid, the dinners just never started up again. I told the officer I wasn't sure if they could come anymore. They moved into their new division office during this time and it isn't as close to my home as it once was, and their territory is huge. But the officer seemed to think they might be able to enjoy an occasional meal, so maybe there’s a possibility I can reconnect with some of these nice officers in my own division again. Hosting these meals was special for me — being able to provide a comfortable safe place where they could talk about their day, even if only for a few minutes. Some officers would no sooner arrive when they’d get a priority call for service and need to leave pronto. I would quickly help the officer fix a To-Go box, complete with a side salad, utensils, and a cream puff.
Maybe a Christmas gathering...I would love that so much!
So to the officer who took the time and effort to go to the next light and turn around just to look for me, thank you! It meant more to me than you will ever know. And that brings me back to an earlier question…were all those years of meals for naught? Absolutely not. Truth is, you can’t worry about whether they were or weren't. It’s not about me. Bringing joy to others is never wasted. It always matters. It gave me a sense of family and belonging back then, and today—five years later—that same joy circled right back to me. 💙
Side note: I have had so much going on over the past five years and I have neglected my blog. I'm still here though, and I'm still serving my friends. I'll try to update you all in future posts -- little by little.
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| My little Puff Truck |
