Lunch Break

Making a new Friend at an old Lunch Counter

Part One in "A Call to Serve" Mark had been eating at Yiayia’s Greek Cafe’ for lunch for as long as he had lived in Topeka. It was only a block from his office and it served the best food he had had since he moved from back East where his own Yiayia, (Greek for grandmother) lived. Sophia, the lady who ran the cafe’ even called Mark her “mikró agóri”, or “little boy”.

Today, as he was walking by, Mark noticed something that made him wonder. Has this man been here before? Have I simply not noticed him? Is he new here? If he has been here, how could I have walked right by him and not seen him? It bothered Mark. The man, himself didn’t look very much older than Mark’s younger brother Steve, who was just turning thirty this month. However, even to an untrained eye, it was easy to tell that this man had lived a hard life. Whether it had been some medical trauma, drugs, living on the streets, or some combination of all of these, he looked pretty rough. His clothes, while not torn, were pretty well worn and quite dirty. The reason he stood out to Mark was because he was sitting on a milk crate in the alley next to the cafe. He wasn’t doing anything other than sitting, swaying back and forth, softly humming to himself. As Mark walked past the alley, the man looked up and their eyes met.

“Good day sir”, the man said. “I really hate to bother you, but I have was wondering if you would be able to find it in yourself to help me get something to eat. I’m not asking you to buy me anything, just help me with some spare change or something like that”.

Mark, who had been confronted by panhandlers in the past, was first inclined to simply tell the man that he was unable to or that he did not have any change. After all, he had no idea where the money would be spent. Even as a Christian man who believed in helping those in need, it wasn’t really helping if the man only took the money and bought drugs, alcohol, or cigarettes. However, something tugged at him to stop. That tugging was the Holy Spirit. Mark pulled up short and went over to the man. “Hi, my name is Mark Pappas. I was on my way into the cafe’ and rather than just give you a little spare change in hopes that you will eventually have enough for a meal, it would be my honor to buy you lunch today”. A smile bigger than the man had ever felt came over his face as a feeling of disbelief entered him. He stuck out his hand to shake Mark’s as he stood up. “Well thank you, Mark Pappas! I’m Tug. Tug Jackson. I just got here to Topeka last week and I can’t believe that I found someone as kind as you.

Mark and Tug entered Yiayia’s and found a table. While Mark was familiar with the Greek dishes that he had grown up with and continued to eat, Tug decided to play it safe and ordered a cheeseburger and fries. They enjoyed their meals and when they were finished, Mark asked Tug where he was staying. “Well, since I got here, I haven’t really gotten settled in anywhere. I’ve been a drifter for about three years, ever since I got out of jail. Made some mistakes that got me a cot and an orange jumpsuit and now it’s hard to find work or anyone who wants to rent to me. I have this little duffle bag and that’s about it”.

With that, Mark suggested that he could take him to the Topeka Rescue Mission, a faith-based mission that he knew about and even volunteered at as a mentor to the men. Tug was certainly in favor of this and in no time, he was being checked in and had a bunk assigned to him. In the days that followed, Mark would follow up with Tug and even worked with him in the mentoring program. Several weeks later, back at Yiayia’s Greek Cafe’ again, the two men sat down for another lunch. This time, Tug was living in a small house with four other men and was working on the loading dock in a large warehouse.

Over lunch, their conversation switched from what they had been doing since they last saw each other, back to the day when they first met. “Mark, I always wondered why you did what you did that day when you helped me out”, Tug asked. “Well, let me answer that with another question” replied Mark, “why don’t more people? After all, who says that at any given time, the roles could be reversed”.

“35 For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: 36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. 37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? 38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? 39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? 40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” Matthew 25:35-40