The Simple Serving Life Who: Obi-Wan Kenobi, Sarah Williams [Open] What: Serving soup and sandwiches. Where: The Riverside Shelter When: Late Morning Rating: PG
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The Riverside Shelter For the Hungry, the Homeless, and the Helpful Heart
The shelter had become a sanctuary of silence for Obi-Wan's troubled soul. Though he had found some comfort in his meditations after determining the source of the disturbance in the Force, he had discovered even more solace in the company of the people at the shelter. The women, Nuns (as they called themselves,) were a special breed of person, Obi-Wan had decided. They thought only of others and lastly about themselves. Obi-Wan hadn't questioned them on their spirituality, because he knew that in some cultures that was considered an act of disrespect. But from observing their care for strangers, he could only assume that the Force played an intricate role in their beliefs. Whether they knew it or not.
Obi-Wan found that he thought much more clearly at the shelter. Even during busy mornings when crowds of people stood at the door, waiting to get in. His mind was more at ease while he stood behind the counter, filling bowls with soup and handing them to the wanting people in line. It was the closest he had come to finding momentary peace of mind since his days wandering the Jundland Wastes, wondering if the Empire would ever stretch itself out far enough to discover the nomad Jedi and the young boy hidden on the secluded moisture farm. He'd almost missed those moments. Not the worry of the future and not the fear of being discovered. But his time alone in endless thought. His mental abilities with the Force had nearly doubled since his exile on Tatooine. And knowing that he was watching over Luke had given him a deep sense of purpose.
This is my place in the galaxy. This is what I am supposed to do.
Here, at the shelter, in this strange new world, nothing was as clear as it was on a sweltering day in the burning shadow of the twin suns. Life made more sense when you watched the pair of Tatoos setting behind the sand dunes, the calls of the krayt dragons off in the distance frightening off intruders from their young. But the shelter did help. Perhaps for the simple fact that Obi-Wan felt that civil service was a natural aspect of Jedi life.
The shelter was always its busiest in the morning, and even moreso since Obi-Wan had arrived. Though he'd discovered, after his meeting with Leia and Jaina, that this was partly do to the fact that he was recognized by some people because of that new holo being performed. Obi-Wan, however, didn't let that bother him too much. The shelter was open to anyone, whether they be needy or not. And if someone said something he just smiled and handed them a bowl of soup or a sandwich. If they persisted then he quietly recommended to them that they were mistaken, and ought to take a seat. The nuns didn't know what to make of this sudden popularity. All they knew was that their donations had more than tripled since Obi-Wan started passing out sandwiches. They thought it was sign from God. Obi-Wan said that the Force sometimes worked in mysterious ways. Eventually they all agreed with each other. Be it some omnipotent otherworldly being or an all encompassing spirit of life, their cause was being helped.
By mid-morning there was a lull in the patronage entering the soup kitchen, and Obi-Wan took a seat at a table by the window where he could watch the people passing on the sidewalk. He wasn't lost in thought, exactly, but he was mindful of his subconscious. He could feel the meeting between himself and Anakin bearing closer with each passing minute. He closed his eyes and tried to reach at the future, for some idea of how that interaction would be, but the image was always cloudy where it concerned the two of them.