Psalm 62: “In you alone is my soul at rest. My help comes from you.”

San Francisco, July 2018

At Mass on July 11, the Feast of Saint Benedict, the presider Fr. Tavella stresses how Benedict made communal prayer, work and community life the earmarks of monastic life. -- My driver to coffee is Ibr, born in Yemen, and we commiserate about sad Yemen. -- Later in the day Sha is the RH driver, probably the most entertaining and witty I have ever had. He left Iran four years ago and has been driving for two. After my saying that he is Persian he explains that the term is often used now to cover people from that area and to put distance between them and the present government. Apart from driving, he tutors in math, has studied at culinary school and would like to start a restaurant.

A driver with the name Parmenides deflects my guess at his Greek origin to say that he is Filipino and does not know why his mother gave him the name. -- Another driver that day, Anw, is unique, the only Libyan I encounter. -- My driver back to my residence is Bat and I correctly guess that he is Mongolian. He has been here a few years, is unmarried, the only one of six brothers to emigrate. Very friendly, smiling, but of limited English. He says there are about 4,000 Mongolians in the Bay Area. He had a video going on a monitor in front of us of a program called Bizarre Foods, presided over by an American chef. This episode was taking place in Mongolia where a goat was being slaughtered and then prepared, using every bit of it, for a meal.

Moving around with my walker at Greco is always a challenge. While talking with some of the regulars I repeat, “The first 90 years, etc.” and tell them my age. They: “You look great.” In response I say: "Well, I'm very happy." One of them in reply: "If you weren't, you wouldn't be your age." -- A morning driver, Ad from Nepal, offers a short homily within a minute of my getting into the car. The content delivered smiling: “A lot of misery comes from letting small things become big things. You can’t do that.” -- On July 12 taking RH car to Market Street my driver is Dan; he has been here eight years from China, has a wife, and their two children are in school. His mother provides inexpensive daycare. He is very soft-spoken and thoughtful, talks about going to college; I encourage him in that. I think he finds confirmation for his dream from an older man very reassuring.

Psalm 27: “I believe I shall see the Lord’s goodness / in the land of the living.

Wait for the Lord; be strong; / be stouthearted, and wait for the Lord!”

Reply to Fr. Don at: DTalafous@csbsju.edu

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