Breakfast at Sally's - Ten

This Sunday - March 14 - we take a careful look at Chapter 18 of Breakfast at Sally's. The chapter is about death - physical and spiritual. Vinny dies; the graveside funeral is attended by five men - Jake, "C", Charles, Rodney and Richard. They brought along the incense, got some flowers out of the dumpster behind a florist shop, had a prayer, shed tears, and remembered Agent Orange, jungle ants and fungus. The chapter pushes hard on questions of death and life, war and peace, the power or impotence of prayer, and the meaning of life. Some questions for us to ponder...

• Like, what's the ... like ... word that everybody today ... like ... seems to use with ... like ... the same ubiquity as ... like ... the word that Lenny seemed so ... like ... fond of? What's your favorite word? What does it mean?
• The Viet Nam vets in attendance - three of them besides the deceased - were remembering their experiences in the war. Did Rodney, Charles and Jake return from the war alive or dead? Why?
  
• What do you think of "C's" choice for the reading - that death is our eternal companion? (Page 232.) Would you like this to be read at your funeral? Why or why not?
• Who fights our wars?
• Who pays the price?
• What does it mean to you when you hear someone say: "I'd be better off dead." (Page 233.)
• Do you believe God works in mysterious ways?
• If you were God, what would you give the world right now? (Page 236.)
• This is a tough chapter. Richard is a gifted writer. Does he force you to see anything you would rather not look at?

I'm looking forward to this evening's conversation.

Breakfast at Sally's - Nine

For Sunday, February 28, 2010 - our discussion of Breakfast at Sally's...We are looking at chapters 16 and 17 - We meet Vinny and Lenny...and we go dumpster diving. Richard's experience of homelessness gets fleshed out with stories of war and abuse - the kinds of psychological wounds that wreak havoc with the human soul and crush the human spirit. If you get the chance, re-read these chapters before our conversation.

1. Richard finds himself struggling on a Tuesday, remembering how, on rainy nights, he would spend his time and energy with his partner, Sandra. He takes Willow to PetSmart for some "cheap entertainment" where "the hamsters were more valuable than I was..." Who are the most valuable people you know?
2. What are your thoughts on the medicinal use of marijuana?
3. What should be the basis for deciding the 'legality' of an action?
4. Did 'C' do the right thing by giving Vinny some 'weed'?
5. Both Jake and Lenny tell of their experiences in Viet Nam. How much is the war in Afghanistan costing you personally, us collectively?
6. What is your assessment of the actions of Jake's colonel after Jake left the jeep? (P. 218-219.)
7. It's a 'death watch' with Vinny. "We were all the half-dead, the on-the-way-t0-dead, the blessedly dead ..." (P. 221.) Do you know anyone who is "half-dead"?
8. (P. 224...) What is your assessment of Steinbeck's line: "If you're in trouble or hurt or need-go to poor people. They're the only ones that'll help-the only ones."
9. What do you think about this as advice for life: "You've got to avoid sharp objects and diapers." (P. 226.)
10. In our town, our neighborhood, our church - who are we "throwing away"?
11. What is the closest thing to "dumpster diving" you have ever done?

Praying for a meaningful conversation...

Breakfast at Sally's - Eight

For our Sunday, February 21, 2010 conversation of Breakfast at Sally's, we are looking at Chapter 15 - "David's Song". Richard has left Tina's and is heading from his home of several days back to "freedom". We meet a couple characters in this chapter - Ogre and Lilly.

1. "The homeless are the freest of all. We have no dignity, no honor, no pride, no ego to protect." How "free" are you?
2. Richard credits "Mother Earth", "the Universe", or "the grace of God" as providing for him. Does it matter which it is he comes to believe in?
3. "C" was the "most alive" person Richard had ever met. Who is the "most alive" person you have met, and why do you characterize him or her in this way?
4. On Page 196 we read of "Ogre" having cut off part of his left arm with a bandsaw after a pastor told him of the biblical passage directing us to pluck out the offending body parts. (See Matthew 5:29ff...) Is the Bible literally true?
5. As we meet Lilly, we once again experience the homeless giving the last of their funds to another. (Page 199-200.) What kind of assurance would you need in order to be free enough to give your last penny to the poor?
6. I believe there is a move of patriotism and of the Spirit in this chapter - "Freedom" is celebrated; and Worship is experienced. Would you agree? Why, or why not?
   
7. In a moment of brutal honesty, Richard admits that, had it not been for "C", he simply would have stepped over Lilly. This is a (perhaps "the") recurring question in the book: What does it take to recognize and respond to the needs right beneath our feet?

I am looking forward to our conversation Sunday evening.

Breakfast at Sally's - Seven

January 31, 2010 - Getting Saved Head On ...

Chapter 13 is a description of Richards' experience at Pastor Bob's Church. After receiving an offer of a place to stay from Nurse Tina, Richard set out to find Pastor Bob at his car dealership. Tina's offer to Richard was kept a secret from Doctor "Z" at Tina's request. The pills Dr. Z had given to Richard had not started to work yet, but with the assurance that another week would make all the difference, Richard went looking for Pastor Bob. He found him multi-tasking - selling a car, arranging for a repossession, and preparing to collect rent from a tenant. In Chapter 14, Richard "finds a home" at Tina's place.

• What is your initial reaction to Tina's generosity? Why did she not want the doctor to know of her offer to Richard?
  
• Have you ever met anyone like Pastor Bob?
• Does anyone believe the line: No money, no honey? (Page 172.)
• What do you think about the Beatles song, Imagine?
• The Pentecostal Church Service that Richard attended at Pastor Bob's church sounds like a caricature. However, assuming it is a true and accurate description of what went on, what are the assumptions Pastor Bob and the people in that church are making about God? About people?
• What are the assumptions we make in our church about God? About other people?
• In Chapter 14 Richard goes to Tina's where he has been offered a small trailer to stay for free. Does what happened to Richard ever happen to people around here? (Page 184.)
• What does Richard have that neither Roberta and Madonna have?
• Where did Richard get it? Where do you get it?

Looking forward to our conversation!

Breakfast Sally's - Six

And Are We Yet Alive ...

Chapters 11 and 12 tell sad stories about Andy and Karen. Andy is an alcoholic whose father beat him and kicked him out of the house when he was fifteen. Karen was a woman Richard related to - someone of means once - someone who had lost it all.

C solicits help from Richard to collect Andy from the alley behind the 7-Eleven - I want to get to him before the police do, C explains.

• What would we do if someone like Andy was in Saranac Lake or Lake Placid?
• Is there anyone like Andy in Saranac Lake or Lake Placid?
• One year Andy was picked up by the police forty-four times; they would let him "dry out" for four or five hours, and then send him back out on the street. How many more times should the police pick up Andy?
• (P. 147) C charged Brian ten dollars a month to rent a front seat of his "Armadillo". How did C determine what would he would charge Brian?
• How do we determine how much to charge people?
• Have you ever been in "no toilet" land?
• Richard tells us: I didn't feel sorry for Andy ... Do you?
• In Chapter 12 we meet Karen. Richard writes: All the things that made her "Karen" were gone. What are the things that make you you?
• Read Karen's poems again (P 161 -163). How do you feel as you read them? Why?
• How do you think Karen felt in her final seconds of life?
• Richard ponders Karen's eternal status - Is she in hell, or heaven? Which do you think? Why?

I'm looking forward to our gather on Sunday evening. We meet at Dick and Patti Skeels home. See you then!

Breakfast at Sally's - Five

The conversation for Sunday evening, January 17 - will take us through Chapters 8, 9 and 10. Here are eight questions for the purpose of getting the conversation going:

• What is the definition of "normal"? (See pages 118 and 134 ...)
• What is the line of separation between innocence and complicity regarding our participation in systems that keep people poor? (P. 119.)
• Who is Richard describing on P 123?
• Is there anything in Chapter 9 you need to discuss?
• What will be the impact of the "No Touch" policies our schools, hospitals and churches have adopted? (How safe are our children? How safe are you?)
• What would a "glad bag of hope" contain for you?
• What is the miracle(s) you need? (P. 142.)
• Perhaps we can discuss the efficacy of psychiatric care - have you ever been to therapy? What are the positive effects? Were there any frustrations? Would you classify the care Richard was getting as helpful?

Looking forward to the conversation together this evening at Thayer's!

Breakfast at Sally's - Four

The conversation for Sunday evening, January 10, 2010 brings us to Chapters 7 of Breakfast at Sally's. And once again, the word "Sanctuary" pops up ... LeMieux writes: I needed to find some sanctuary from the cold February rain ... We have spoken about the Biblical concept of "sanctuary", coming from the idea of the "cities of refuge" (see Deuteronomy 19), and how this notion is carried over into LeMieux's writing. In Chapter 7, the "Sanctuary" is a hospital waiting room. This sanctuary is not, however, completely safe, as there are security guards on the lookout for homeless people who have come to rest or get warm. And it is in this chapter that we learn the story of Richard's family - the three siblings he had that he never knew.

1. What are your family's secrets - the things that can't be discussed?
2. Do our secrets have less of an impact on us by virtue of the fact that we don't talk about them?
3. Were you ever given the "gift of innocence"? (See page 100.) Have you ever given it to someone else? Have you ever intentionally taken it away from anyone?
4. My world changed that day on that swing, writes LeMieux. (Page 101.) What is the connection between grief and depression?
5. What do you suppose Marcia meant when she said: And when I die, I guess I'm going to be homeless, too - at least until Jesus comes and gets me and takes me to his home.
6. Richard saved some of his hamburger for Willow. How did Marcia respond to this action? Have you ever been inspired to be more generous because of the generosity of others? (Pages 103-104.)
7. In the Hebrew Bible, Sanctuary is a place; in this chapter, Sanctuary for Richard is a person. Which is it? Why?
8. The last 6 pages of Chapter 7 are particularly poignant for me. Re-read them; reflect on them; are there insights you can glean from these words? What are your thoughts?

Looking forward to our conversation on Sunday evening!