The RV park where we are staying has parking for 850 units, 98 percent of which are permanently parked and tied down. I would say most of the residents are from Iowa, Kansas and Minnesota. It is a huge place and there is always something going on to occupy the folks who live here during the winter.
I got an idea the other night why some folks need to be occupied. Thursday night is a soup night where volunteers cook up six or seven kinds of soup and serve it for 1.50 for the first bowl and free after that until it’s all gone. Just bring your own bowl, crackers, drink and spoon.
We went by the recreation hall at 3:15 in the afternoon, over an hour before the serving time of 4:30. There were at least 50 people already there sitting down in front of incredibly neatly arranged bowls and spoons, patiently waiting for 4:30. Either the soup was outstanding or else these people didn’t have anything else to do. I couldn’t sit still that long if I ws offered ten dollars.
I felt bad for them but I’m sure there are elderly people all over the country with nothing to do.
At least 500 people showed up to eat and we were crammed in there elbow to elbow. There was a huge vat of bean soup that looked good but I passed on it afraid of what might happen should the beans cause their normal reaction to my innards while I was stuffed into a spot at a table with a bunch of innocent people.
As we stood in line to get our soup, We passed by several tables full of people who already had theirs and were digging in like they hadn’t eaten in days. An inordinate number of folks wearing name tags that identified them as being from Minnesota were crushing up crackers into their soup, causing Susie to gag.
“It looks like guts.” She said. Susie really hates the sight of mushy crackers floating in a semi solid mixture.
“Can I try it?” I asked.
“I’ll break your fingers if you do.”
I guess I’m doomed to never know why people, especially Minnesotans, crush their crackers in their soup.