Food Donation

Today at Wal-Mart, some youths were hanging around out front, smiling and trying to hand out paper bags. It was cold and rainy, so I wanted to hurry up and get inside.

One of the youths asked me, "Would you like to buy a couple of items for the food drive?"

"I'm not sure," I said, as I hustled right past her, looking at the bag but not wanting to be sucked into anything. I acted as though someone were pulling me into the store and I didn't have time to stop.

Two seconds later, I decided that the answer was "Yes. I do want to buy a couple of items for the food drive." So we got the cat food, shampoo, and coffee that we wanted and then tried to figure out what the people who need food need. I didn't want to buy junk food, but I don't think you can put lettuce or bananas in that bin. What about bread? It would probably get smushed.

We decided on some big cans of soup (and I was perplexed that I mostly saw "light" soup -- do I want the needy to think that I think they're fat?), and a jar of peanut butter (will the needy think that I'm trying to give them salmonella?), and a double box of Cheerios.

I spent almost as much on the donation as I did on the cat food. $12.86 v. $14.72.