The Box – Shelter in Place Emergency Supplies
After the fire, I witnessed the most wonderful acts of kindness. The fire trucks were gone. The house was taped off for safety. Everything was quiet.
My neighbor had moved into one of her vacant apartments. She owned some properties and rented out all of them. It was not far away from her home.
Each day when I would return from work, my porch would be inundated with charitable gifts. We shared a common driveway, and they didn’t know where else to put it. Folders would be placed inside my screen door with gift certificates and gift cards. Organizations and churches left envelopes with their contact information so that she could let them know what she needed.
The item that struck me the most was a cardboard box. On the side of the box, in black marker, was written “Emergency Food”. In addition to the non-perishable items, the givers threw in some frozen pizzas and frozen entrees. By the way, the fire happened in January, so none of it would melt if left on a porch. It was so cold that the water from the fire hoses formed a layer of ice on top of the snow-covered grass.
I would call her and ask her to stop by and pick up the donations. This went on for about a week. She would load her car and sometimes I would put the overflow into mine. I followed her to her apartment and helped to carry them inside.
After unloading the cans of food for her to put away, I returned home. During the drive, I reflected on the kindness of strangers to share their supplies. It always gives me a warm feeling to know that people still care and that the world isn’t quite as cold as many believe.
I pulled into my driveway and suddenly started to giggle. My son just looked at me, wondering what was funny. With a smile, I got him out of the car and went into the house. I couldn’t help but giggle as different scenarios entered my mind.
I don’t know if I overlooked it. Maybe she found it before I did. There were several cans of food in so many varieties. Nowhere, within any of it, did I see a can opener. I called back and she confirmed that she had purchased one. All was good.
It’s the little details that can make the difference between a successful plan and a new set of problems. In any family, these details make such a difference. In ASD families, small details can be the difference between a peaceful transition or a complete meltdown.
What’s so difficult about a box, you might ask. Just put some canned goods and other nonperishable snacks in there and store them in the basement. Not so fast. Think about it. What moment in our world has ever been that simple? Not many, if any. I thought that too. Then I started to focus on my son and found that it was more complicated than I had imagined, just like so many other things.
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