Where are the 9?

One of my favorite stories in the bible is the story of Jesus and the 10 lepers (my favorite story is the blind man on the road who wouldn't shut up until Jesus healed him). Jesus healed 9 Jews and a Samaritan. The Samaritans where the "untouchable" mixed-breed mongrels that neither race wanted to claim. Poor things.

Jesus healed the 10, and they ran off to be ritually cleansed and pronounced clean. One, the Samaritan, returned to thank Jesus. He looked at the one man who returned, and a Samaritan at that, and said "Where are the 9?" Talk about ingratitude!

Today at work I had some trouble with side effects. It's like I'd just gotten off the "Teacups" ride - I felt very dizzy and off-balance, with a whopping dose of slow-thinking fatigue. Even now I'm having trouble spelling (thank God for delete key). Anyway, I was out of some snack product (Just In Time Inventory, some times you run out early). I couldn't stock the machines. Metrolift got us to work an hour early, already called in Monday's order, so I tried to make myself useful.

When I had a good spell I took out the dumpster and dumped it into the compactor. I have to squat and hold the dumpster upside down by one wheel to get all the junk out. Not something I want to do when I'm dizzy! Right as I got back to "our" area I got dizzy again, so good call.

I ran some change (seperated it and rolled the nickels), and Ron asked me to check the codes on the pastry. We sell the Hostess/Dolly Madison line of prewrapped packaged pastries. They have no redeeming value; loaded with sugar, white flour, and fat. Boy, I'd love to eat 'em.

The Cinnamon rolls expired on July 3. Ron told me to throw them out but I like to give them to the Maintenance guys. They're always nice guys, love to play cards and dominoes on their breaks and lunches. If we need help and they can help us, they will. When we were out after Ron's accident, I missed them.

So, I placed about a dozen pastries on "their" tables. I took some to the credit union, where they were received with glee. We discovered some more pastries in a vending machine, about 6, so I pulled them. I'd seen about 6 people in "The TV Room" where they can watch their soaps and game shows (on break, of course). I started handing them out. Most people said thank you. One guy picked up the cinnamon roll, read the label, and said "Hey, these went out of code on July 3!" The woman sitting at the table with him said "Well, I'm eating it anyway" as she peeled back the wrapper. I assured her that the cinnamon rolls were "Loaded with preservatives." so she'd be fine. Mr. Ungrateful huffed, but he stuck it into his lunch pail.

I wanted to take it back. What a change from the Maintenence guys! They came in and fell on the pastries like a pack of wolves on a deer. A little squabbling "Hey, how many you got?" and everyone was happy. Many, thanks and much gratitude. They even gave one to George (who isn't even in their department). They are always happy to get free, out of code product. I hate to throw away good product and I don't have a hog, so I've got to find some one to eat it. Even if I had a hog (Heather modifies) I'd still want humans to eat it first, if no human would eat it I'd give it to the hog.

That all said, I could relate to how Jesus must have felt when He said "Where are the 9?" That guy was so ugly and I was trying to GIVE him something. I really don't see how He did it.