Community Cupboard Stories from the Road

SULLIVAN FRESH COMMUNITY CUPBOARD: STORIES FROM THE ROAD

Submitted by Martin Colavito, Sullivan Fresh Community Cupboard Program Manager For the past 40 years I have been a Human Servant lucky enough for those I serve to allow me into their lives. One of the things that I witness repeatedly is folks who seem to not have a lot, offering all they have for others. One of the residences we deliver to currently has three men living there. Three adults residing in a one- bedroom small home. When we originally began delivering to these folks, we immediately hit it off and got along, often joking around and just taking time away from all of our current existences. The fellow who rented the home, Ted, allowed the other two guys, Ron and Bill to live there because they were homeless. Now you got to understand, Ted is disabled and living on a very limited income, but this did not stop him from giving a lot even though he did not have much. About two months after we began serving these folks, Ron was diagnosed with a terminal illness requiring very painful treatments. Every week for months we would hold court with these guys bringing Ron chocolate in hopes of the candy working magic, and possibly paroling Ron for an instant from his discomfort. Ron never gave in to the pain, and throughout this trial, continued to do odd jobs for a little bit of cash. One day when we were delivering Ron crawled out of the house crying because he was scared. I remember Beth and myself holding Ron like our family, letting him know we were there. Week after week Ron struggled but did not give in, having some good days, but mostly bad ones. Ron finally completed his treatments, and decided to take each day at a time, reminding me to do the same, but life being the fickle partner that it is, decided to give Bill a terminal illness at about the same time Ron completed his treatment. To further complicate matters, Ted had taken a downward spiral initially requiring a home care and ultimately hospitalization. Currently Bill’s condition is not that great, debilitating at best, leaving Ron, who is terminally ill, left to care for his friends.

About three weeks ago I stopped by to see how the guys were doing and Ron sat me down and began to cry. He told me, “Marty I know I am dying and my family in Florida want me to stay with them, but I can’t leave my friends. I just can’t,” Ron continued, “I know Ted and Bill are in a lot worse pain than I am, and I cannot leave them alone.” Throughout our conversation the only thing I kept thinking was, here is a guy who is dying, can live his life in the sun and have family care for him, but decides to give all of his existence to his friends. All too often I think of the people that I serve as those who are helpless, and many might be, but all are resilient! All are strong! All remind me of how much I want to be with them, want to hold them, want them to hold me. All of them remind me what LOVE is, and how without LOVE, we are all hopeless. Ron is another example of how someone with very little, can give a gift that is greater than anything a Billionaire, Politician, or those who have perceived power can give, ALL. I look forward to seeing Ron and Bill every week, I look forward to Ted hopefully coming home, and I look forward to meeting their standard of care.

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