Sister Anne works at the St Vincent de Paul soup kitchen in Oakland, a drab one story building sandwiched between a freeway overpass and a wide thoroughfare that is home to liquor stores, storefront churches and single room occupancy hotels. Sister Anne is 93 years old. I do not know her last name. She does not wear a full habit, but she still does wear a wimple. She also wears plastic framed glasses, orthopedic shoes, a black skirt, and a light cardigan sweater. The same every day.
Her job is to carry trays of food across the dining hall to people who can not make it through the serving line – the disabled and families with small children. They use a side entrance, and have their own tables set aside for them.
