Tuesdays in Topeka.

Once a month Jennie and I leave work for about an hour to go deliver Meals on Wheels. On weeks like this week, it's nice to get out. The weather was beautiful and the break was welcomed. Generally we take turns driving and running but there's this one house...

Jennie was the runner last month and we had a new house added to our route. Seemingly no big deal, unfortunately we're dealing with downtown Topeka. Most parts of Topeka that I have been in are less than stellar. (Picture downtown Ogden but somehow older-looking and dirtier.) Jennie gets out of the car to deliver the meal and I'm staring at everything going on around me. There are two bike cops hanging out at the corner questioning some random drunk, the pink house that we delivered to had shutters barely hanging on, and the surrounding houses are not in any better shape. As Jennie comes back, a random stranger is following a little too closely behind. She hops in, unaware of her pursuer) and I quickly lock the doors and speed off. Thank goodness the cops were still nearby. We were seriously a little freaked out. As we were leaving, Jennie informs me that she's never letting either of us go in there alone again. She described this woman's living conditions and honestly, it just made me sad.

Have you ever seen an episode of Hoarders? So this week rolls around and this house is on our list once again. I park the car and we walk in together. I open the door (the woman can't get up so we take it to her) and immediately am overcome with the smell of smoke and filth. I look around to find where she's sitting which is difficult to do as she's shorter than some of the surrounding piles. She notions for me to put the meal on a stack of who-knows-what and then we turn and head out. As I leave that neighborhood, I am overcome with gratitude that I was able to be raised in such good living conditions. Thank you to my parents who worked to keep me out of that kind of neighborhood, even if it was just north of that kind of neighborhood. ;)

On that note, seriously Kansas? Topeka is the state capital? Fail.