Day 9 - Pennsylvania - Philabundance

I have a tenuous relationship with Philadelphia – we don’t really get along. See, Philly is my ex, my last relationship before Boston. We were only together briefly, but it was an intense situation. In fact, when our interactions became too strained, I packed up my things and left without so much as a good bye. I didn’t even leave a note. And Philly woke up one morning to find my side of the bed cold, my closet empty, and my toothbrush gone. Philly may have called my phone in a panic that morning, but I will never know. I drove away with my phone off. I didn’t want to hear the arguments for why I should stay – I knew I needed to leave.

Fast forward a few years and I am happy with Boston, very much content and at peace with our relationship. But sometimes I think back to Philly and wonder what could have been. If I had stuck it out, would we have ever been happy? Could we have made it? As a friend once advised, every relationship has 5 seasons: spring, summer, winter, fall, and a bad one. Did I abandon Philly in our bad season?

But, at some point, you have to let go of your doubts and wonderings. I look over on to the sleeping face of Boston and realize I made the right choice for me – that I made my bed, but really enjoy laying in it (to put a positive spin on an old adage). So, I swallow my pride, call up Philly and ask if there is any way my impetuous and desperate youth could be forgiven. A momentary pause lengthens uncomfortably. I choke up. Then Philly laughs heartily, forgives me readily, but asks me to come visit – it would be good to meet again as friends.

When Tim and I decided to take this trip, we developed our 50/50/50 idea not as a masochistic way of testing the depth of our devotion to volunteerism while exhausted (though neither of us is tired yet. Check back in a few weeks, maybe then a yawn or two will have crept in), but because we wanted to see the country in its entirety. Instead of gearing our adventure to sight seeing or some other form of recreation that we completely intend to take advantage of during the drive back, we wanted to explore the good that is happening across the country. We decided to volunteer in each state in order to witness all the beauty in each separate state that is born from kindness and an unwillingness to let injustice stand. And, what is a better way to reunite with Philly than to explore some of the good that is happening there?

Our reintroduction starts slowly, with a visit to an old friend, Katie, and her fiancé, Chris, who agreed to put us up for the night. Tim and I lurked, creepy and freezing on the porch, peering in the windows and trying to figure out whether or not we were at the correct apartment by attempting to catch the reflection of the person next to the glass, facing their computer. We waffle, hesitant to knock. The door opened and conversation immediately resumed where it left off, three years before, in a tiny bar in Art Museum.

As we ate mac’n cheese and briefly recapped the last happens in each of our lives, Tim and I heard the engagement story and learned about the nonprofit that Chris works for. Youth Mentoring Partnership, to steal shamelessly from their website, is dedicated to helping all kids build inner and outer strength by developing the qualities of mental toughness and the skills of goal setting through intense physical activity. Chris was involved in this program as a youth and came back to work there as an adult. Really incredible stuff.

The next morning, we wound through the city, passing vaguely familiar landmarks and through hazy memories. We arrived at Philabundance, a large building cut clearly against the landscape of low, row houses. Tim and I spent the morning apart – Tim in the warehouse, stocking shelves and me scheduling volunteers for the “Give a Day. Get a Disney Day” program. As a side note: Bravo Disney! Awesome idea! I made phone call after phone call (after phone call after phone call) to schedule offices, teams, families, and friends to volunteer at the food bank, sorting and stocking donated goods. Some people were aghast that they couldn’t volunteer the upcoming weekend, the first available Saturday wasn’t till April (“What do you mean APRIL? We bought tickets to Florida for next week! I need to volunteer NOW!). The vast majority of people commented that they weren’t even going to necessarily use the tickets – it was just another incentive to volunteer.

After a while, I joined Tim in the warehouse, stocking and reorganizing shelves in the food store. Some 600 member agencies come here to shop, collecting what they need to feed approximately 65,000 people per week through out the Delaware Valley. In this Costco sized facility, volunteers helped to sort through 17 million pounds of food for the organization’s service area and the 6 million pounds of surplus food exported to assist other area food banks.

We separated rice from risotto and cous cous from capalleni, making sure the shelves were clean and logical. Other volunteers worked as if they were being paid, with a pride about the facility and what they are accomplishing there. “This is one of the best places you are going to see,” one woman promised. “They help a lot of people here.”

As we drove away from Philly, I waved till I could no longer see the outline in my side mirror. The bad memories eradicated by the positive encounter we had shared, by the good that I had seen in Philly. It was a relief that we could now be friends.

3616 South Galloway Street

Philadelphia, PA 19148

(215) 339-0900

fax (215) 339-0924