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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: Potluck (Meal or Gathering) Deadline 7-26-12 @ 10 AM NY Time (07/19/12)
You Just Never Know

Ruthie hummed a little tune and smiled as she worked about the church kitchen. The other hostesses would arrive soon, but she came early to get the big coffee pots filled and plugged in. They now sang their own tune of “glub, glub, glub a bub” right along with her humming.
This evening began the Wednesday night fellowship suppers for the fall season. There would be much laughter and visiting, encouraging, listening and hugs all around.

By the time the church members started arriving, the five hostesses had readied the serving tables with knives, forks, spoons, plates and hot pads for the hot dishes that arrived with the members. Another table sported iced tea, water and coffee with the trimmings of lemon, creamer and sweeteners. Oh yes, and spoons to mix it all up.

The fellowship hall was buzzing like a bee hive with men seated around two long tables talking football, farming, weather and economy. The ladies bustled around the serving tables arranging and re-arranging to make room for just one more casserole dish or crock put. The microwave in the kitchen beeped again and again, warming up food prepared the evening or morning before.

The laughter and voices crescendoed until the pastor clapped his hands to get everyone’s attention. He began to sing the blessing and voices blending in harmony joined in. Spirits soared with the notes, and when the song ended a hush fell over the crowd for just a moment.

Then the ladies again moved in to remove lids, foil and other coverings. As they did so, Ruthie turned to Sarah, her eyebrows raised. Sarah turned to Margy with her eyes opened wide. Margy turned to Nancy with an “oooh” pursed on her lips, and Nancy turned to Grace with laughter dancing in her eyes. Soon the members, themselves, were looking curiously down the line of dishes.

The first casserole dish contained a steaming mixture of pinto and kidney beans, green peppers and ground beef. The next dish in line was a crock pot filled with pinto beans and bites of hot dogs – sure to be a favorite with the kids. Next came three dishes of barbequed beans, all smelling wonderfully delicious. Farther on down the line were two dishes of three-bean salad. Also in the line-up were beans and cornbread, beans and ham, beans and chili peppers…beans, beans, beans! The hostesses had provided dinner rolls to go with the fine selection of beans, beans and more beans.

The partakers in the line came to a standstill, all smiling. Soon laughter and cackles of every decibel resounded throughout the line. When the laughter died down, Joe spoke up and wisely stated, “Well, it looks like the bean crop did very well this year! And we can all be thankful for the Lord’s bounty, whatever form it takes.”
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This article has been read 659 times
Member Comments
Member
Date
C D Swanson 
07/27/12
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!

I loved this piece. It was delightful and entertaing. I think a good portion of the readers will wonder if everyone slept with their "windows opened" after that meal! Hahahahahaha!

I truly loved. this Great job!

God bless!
C D Swanson 
07/27/12
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!

I loved this piece. It was delightful and entertaining. I think a good portion of the readers will wonder if everyone slept with their "windows opened" after that meal! Hahahahahaha!

I truly loved. this Great job!

God bless
Laura Manley
07/29/12
Priceless! What a sense of humor you have. This was a delightful story, one that if there were any mistakes, I missed them. Delightful read.
Shann Hall-LochmannVanBennekom 
07/30/12
This is a charming description of what just about any church potluck could end up as. You described the details nicely.

The one bit of red ink I might mention would be to add a touch of conflict to the story to help draw the reader in. Perhaps the husband could complain that she always brings beans to these dinners and why can't she bring something else.

You definitely were right on topic. I think beans must be the most common dish brought to potluck because I've read a couple of stories this week where that happened. It's funny because it does seem to run true. It may not always be beans but often at these dinners there are repeat versions of the same dish. I enjoyed the sense of humor you brought to the table. :) Good job.