God Bless You and Your New Undies Too!

Earlier this spring, I went to a yard sale at a church that's not too far from the house.  It was advertised as a "youth group benefit."  Based on what I saw there, the youth weren't really getting too much benefit from it.  A few tables of well-used toys.  Some books no one would want.  A couple of tables of clothes.

To give them credit, everything was neatly arranged and priced.  A lot of the clothing was new.  I don't normally spend a lot of time looking through clothes, but I saw a whole bunch of new men's underwear in my size (or rather the size I'm rapidly growing into).  It was really cheap, so I bought several pairs.  You can never have too much underwear, after all.

I pay for the underwear and throw it in my backpack.  As I'm leaving the church, a woman standing at the door asks if I found anything good.  I tell her I bought new underwear.  She looks at me, puts her hand on my shoulder, and says "Bless you."  (Uhm....okay?)

I go out the door and start unchaining my bike.  She's still standing there and says "You have to lock it up like that all the time?"  I tell her about the one I had stolen, and she again says:  "Bless you."

As I'm pedaling off, I take a look at the sign in their parking lot.  It's got a picture of their pastors on it, and I realize that I have been talking to one of them.  Then, I see the signs for the clothing closet and food pantry.  And something clicks in my head:

• I've got my big huge backpack with me, stuffed with everything, as it usually is.
• I carried on about buying new underwear.
• I'm riding my bike, which I keep very secure due to theft.
• It has a couple of bags from the thrift down the street tied to the handle bars.

She thinks I'm homeless!

I can see her giving that same reassuring pat and pastoral "Bless you" to everyone who comes in needing food or clothing.  I've just been ministered to while I was buying underwear!  I'm surprised I didn't get an invite to the clothing closet.  

I've always thought I must be a sight, making my thrift rounds on my bike, laden with purchases.  Now I know for sure.

That's me!  Eddie the vagabond junker!  I laughed about it all the way home.