Wednesday, April 15, 2009

The Parable of the Plum Tree

I remember years ago being out picking plums from a large tree overhanging the footpath at a friends flat. This tree was absolutely loaded with those plums with the tasty, sweet yellow flesh.

A couple of bludgers (as we found) came past and asked if they could have some plums. We said 'Sure, pick as many as you want' We had a big bucket full that got turned into plum wine- but that's another story.

They then shrugged and walked off- what they actually wanted were the plums that we had already picked.

Now this is an attitude often seen in food banks. Many want food that needs no more than a quick zap in the microwave. Stuff like pasta, rice and flour are discarded or at best, returned.

Like picking the plums themselves, that sort of food is too hard to prepare.

What they really want from the food banks are KFC/McD's or Pizza vouchers.

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