Ever-Greater Need

My 5th trip to The Food Bank

I made a promise to myself, and to my readers, when I started this project: NO politics. I stay true to my pledge. There will always be enough politics for me to write about when I reach a different level.

I will, however, talk about politicians who have had a positive impact on my current circumstances. One such politician is Hilda Solis. She is the LA County Supervisor for the 1st District. I totally disagree with her politics. I totally agree with her humanity.

I have now been to five food bank distribution events. Each in a different city. Each a unique venue. All working like a well-oiled machine. As an event professional, I am duly impressed. The law enforcement in each locale was both polite and professional. They informed the early line-uppers to disperse and circle for a few minutes and then get back in line.

They dealt with line-cutters firmly and efficiently. And received a hearty horn-salute each time. On three occasions I was early enough and lucky enough to be in the first 20 cars. The setup is always the same.

Traffic cones demarcate and isolate the street lane. No lineup prior to 8 am. I counted over 200 cars at 630 am on one trip. All circling. Mostly polite and informative. Once dispersed, the line-up order is mostly maintained upon the re-lineup. This is the only type of line-up that I have ever experienced this phenomenon.

Must be, we are all in the same boat. Not the same car, though. As I wrote about here, the spectrum of vehicles in line represents all makes, models, and years. I started reading license plate frames. A lot of Alumni of… frames.  Hmmm, that made me wonder. And feel slightly better about me. Not for my lack of food. For my lack of college degree. Here we are, together again.

Now its 8 am and the cops move their units, and the city guys move their cones, and we get waved in. The event staff takes over. I am inside the fence. We get channeled into four lanes, each with about 50-75 vehicles to start with. The food boxes are staged under pop-up canopies. A lot of clipboards are being used. I love seeing clipboards in the digital age. Utilized mostly by Millennials and Zers. Irony never disappoints.  

A few questions. Nothing intrusive. Zip code? Number of people in the household? How did you hear about this? Pleasant chit-chat and small talk. A genuine God Bless. Someone pops open the back. Each canopy is numbered 1-6. Six cars at a time. Times four lanes. Stop at your number. Any babies? If so, diapers and formula. Any kids? Maybe a toy or a notebook. A glance in the rear-view reveals two boxes being dropped in the back. Hatch door closed. I circled longer than I was inside the fence.

On those first-20-cars trips, I got to see Supervisor Solis address the assembled masses. One suggestion I thought of today was to get a radio station to broadcast those remarks for the thousands of line-uppers like me in their cars. Like at the recycled Drive-In theaters. Anyways, prior to Ms. Solis comments, a string of local officials offers their speeches, statements, and solicitudes. All kinda pleasant and obligatory. A lot of community politicians get a lot of thank-you’s. That is ok. They probably deserve it.

My first trip, I was in the first five cars. Estrella News, a local Spanish-language channel, was interviewing the line-uppers in their cars, properly masked of course. I was interviewed for the noon news. On a Spanish-language news program. Let that sink in. In my best Spanglish, I answered my interviewer’s queries: What brings you here? How long have you been out of work? What do you have to say to those in charge?

I managed to communicate the easy answers with no assistance. But the last one needed a bit of translation. And the journalist was quite gracious and empathetic. I lamented the fact that during this unprecedented need, the only politician that had provided direct assistance to my face was Hilda Solis. I contrasted her actions with other lawmakers.

I then related my observation of the number of cars as representative of the ever-greater need. I also pointed out the immense diversity of the line-uppers. And how the superficial differences of the cars symbolized the superficial differences of skin color. We were all hungry. The reporter and cameraman nodded their agreement. She corrected my Spanish on-air with a smile in her eyes. And helped to convey my meaning:

I was a white man with a seemingly privileged life in line with a wide swath of different-colored human beings in different-colored cars. All in the same line to get the same food boxes. We will all be breaking the same bread separately together tonight. And giving thanks to God that He provides once again. For all of us.

My thoughts when I open the food boxes immediately wander to the meals I can prepare from my bounty. I start to wonder about others opening their boxes. What they envision. What they plan to prepare with their abundance. I dream-wish I could be at their stove to discover what they are cooking.

I wrote to Hilda Solis today. I thanked her. I told her I disagree vehemently with her positions on most things she supports. But she and LA Food Bank keep putting food on my table and sustenance in my belly. And that is a good thing. I offered her a bargain: I would consider voting for her if she would consider talking to me and people like me. Maybe we could learn something from each other. And improve this mess we are in.

Wants to be served

It’s not gender, or race or even ideology really –

It is inclusion – and the price of inclusion

Is always fluid Why do you think that there

Are more diverse celebrities than ever before.

It’s not skin color, its class and

Wealth. OR – class and poverty. I have

More in common with a poor black dish-

Washer than I do with a rich white stock-

Broker.

So why the racism?  Because of ignorance,

Not

I sent an email to Supervisor Solis today. I informed her of my platform, and that I would be posting the text of that email here:

Dear Supervisor Solis,

Thank you and the LA Food Bank for your much-appreciated food support. I have been to five distribution events. The boxes have filled critical gaps in my own family's food security. The quantity given has also allowed us to share with others in need. So, thank you from the bottom of my heart. 

I disagree with most of your political views. But that is ok. I took the time over the past few weeks to read all of your policy positions, past and present. You have quite a track record of supporting things I oppose. Good people can disagree. And I think that you are a good person. 

What I wish for is dialogue. And understanding. And compromise. And I believe that you and your colleagues are capable of all of that. But first it takes listening to others with differing viewpoints and life experiences. And I am not sure if you and your colleagues always do that. 

It seems like in this time of extreme division, many politicians encourage the drawing of lines, and the pullback of civility of discourse. I have a bargain for you: I will consider voting for you if you will consider listening to me and people like me. People who disagree with you and may have voted for someone not of your liking. 

I am a writer and I publish my content at riclexel.substack.com. I posted a piece today thanking you publicly and making the bargain I proposed to you public as well. I am posting the contents of this email as an open letter on my platform. I believe in free and open dialogue, and I believe in you. Please let me know that you believe in me.

Thank You 

Ric Leczel