Notes From Apartment 3E

Come join me for a cup of hot pomegranate tea. I went out, planning to go to the mall; however, I met the neighbor lady coming from the train and we stopped to talk. Rebeca and I did not  let the noise of trains entering and leaving the station keep us from catching up on each other’s lives. I congratulated her on their son’s engagement. As often happens in this city, it will be a marriage of nations.

I boarded the train: “Grand, “Woodhaven” where the mall is, “Rego Park.” Then I remembered that Laurence suggested I buy tea. Forget the mall! I’d rather wander through the Russian stores, so I went to Rego Park where it’s enjoyable to observe the Russians and look at the dark breads, perogies, the meats, soups, sweets, and the Holy (Jerusalem) Hummus.  I stocked up with four boxes of relaxing tea for our evenings.

I was surprised to see one of our Russian customers Saturday morning at market. She’d planned to go to Russia last week. She told me her dad died so she hadn’t traveled. She’s been going back and forth a lot because of the care of her father. (It’s difficult to travel to Russia just now.) He used to be here. He was a writer, so we got along.

After 30 years of following Laurence around NYC, I’ve developed a curiosity to understand the cultures, and foods of all God’s people. Friday afternoon with my work done (it doesn’t take long to clean our small apartment), I took the bus to Middle Village and walked there. We had cheese perogies, almost like mom’s, for lunch today that I bought in a European Deli there (the clerk didn’t bother to be friendly). I went into an Italian bakery and a Mexican one. I looked around in an Italian meat market ($11.99 for a package of ravioli). And, for the record, I also stopped at the Dollar Store and the Salvation Army Store.

Laurence worked Saturday so had last Wednesday off. We took the train to Poughkeepsie and walked from the station to a Japanese restaurant for lunch. I ordered sushi. The variety plate looked like a work of art and tasted as good as it looked. Laurence had a bento box with teriyaki chicken. Afterwards we walked on to Papa Akinyombo’s place. The visit there was enriching. We help each other on the road to Heaven.

Sunday services at Sugar Hill continue to be well attended. I asked one of the new attendees if he has family here. He said that he doesn’t. I told him we’d be his family. He laughed and said, “Will you please? I need a family. My family is bad.” Pray for the attendees. Pray for us. As the world gets darker the Light shines brighter. There’s a mission staff, young men, and tracts workers in this city who are letting the Light shine.

I hear children playing by the building entrance as I write this, along with the murmur of voices on the other side of the wall. Laurence works until eight this evening – a 12-hour day for him.

I looked down from my kitchen window, one day last week, to the kitchen opposite and below us. Curtains hid the face of my neighbor but their happy face slippers made me smile.

Wishing you a life of smiles. Berniece