hunger

tin can at my feet..........think I'll kick it down the street.........that's no way to treat a friend.....

Remember that Bette Midler classic? Well I do. And I certainly know how she feels, especially after yesterday when I was super hungry and nobody would give me any money to buy a taco.

It's not really that big of a deal I guess, but the most poignant life lessons rarely are. Here's how it went down.

It was about 3:00 in the afternoon and I still had not had lunch yet. Lots of times I can just drive home for a turkey sandwich, or maybe I'll have a buck or two in my wallet for a quick trip to the Arctic Circle. It's not hard to maintain my appetite, really. I don't have a huge stomach or a ringworm or anything. I just need a little morsel to keep me going, and once I'm satisfied there I've got one hand in my pocket, and the other one is giving a high five.

Yesterday, though, I did not have time to go home for lunch because I had to go to BYU and drop off my ecclesiastical endorsement. If you don't know what that is I don't have all day to explain it to you, but suffice to say it's this special paper you give to BYU saying you won't grow beards or have sex, even though I grew a beard last fall and have had five biological children. So I had to go drop that off at the Honor Code office, which is a story in itself  (I always feel guilty going in there) (and maybe I should) (and I always see nervous people sitting in the waiting room) (and I think about what sexy thing they may have done) but anyway I was on my way there and I felt really hungry. Should this have been a concern? No way! There is a Taco Bell in the BYU Cougareat! Problem solved. I'll just grab me a taco and sin no more.

So you can imagine my dismay when I opened my wallet and found that I only had about 17 cents in pennies. I'm not pointing fingers at anyone (Miles) or suggesting that someone sneaks money out of my coin purse (Owen) but I was at a total loss as to how I was suddenly so poor. I knew I would have to rely on the kindness of strangers.

And that's where the story becomes suddenly so real and so sad. There I was, on BYU campus, The Lord's University, and not one person would offer me any money. Not like I asked anyone, but I expect people to just know that I needed it! I would know if someone needed money. I pray for these sorts of opportunities! But not these BYU students, with their heads in the clouds and their American Eagle outfits. How many did I pass that day (some of whom even said hello) without a single offering of cash, check, or coin. I was without purse or scrip, they saw me naked, and they gave me nothing. I am not passing judgment. I am just commenting on what I saw and felt. And what I saw and felt is that a lot of BYU students are treading the thorny paths of hell.

LET THIS BE A WAKE-UP CALL, COUGARS! You have, in your midst, people who are crying out for food! Among you walk your poor, your tired, your huddled masses yearning for a taco. Open your eyes! Open your hearts! Then open your wallet. There are really nice people passing you on the sidewalk who are super hungry.

Lucky for me this story has a happy ending. After I dropped off my ecclesiastical endorsement and dealt with the ensuing guilt, I dug around a little bit more in my bag and found that I actually had about $1.65 in coins. Fantastic news! Now I didn't even have to settle for a taco, but was able to afford what I really wanted: a Baja Chicken Chalupa!