Do-Gooders Society

Each third Wednesday of every month a group of women met in secret. They said it was to eat and drink and when the men wandered off, the women got down to business. No notes would be taken for fear they would be found. Today the secret society of do-gooders would meet for their first meeting. They were eager to start helping but would accept no recognition for their kindness. It was all to be done under the cloak of darkness.

The do-gooders sat down to discuss who they could help and what kind of help they thought would be needed. Sylvia said, “Obviously financial”, Gloria said, “Clothes and Food”, Anna said emotional support, which would be hard to do and not get credit for, but they were up to the challenge. The secret society of Do-Gooders was under way!

Anna put the food and wine on the table in case one of their husbands wandered in. They sat down and discussed different people in down that needed help. They talked about people who also just deserved kindness poured upon them. Each one talked in turn and made some valid points and soon a plan was hatched to take care of their community in secret.

While Gloria gathered donations of food and clothing, Sylvia gathered monetary donations, and Anna went and talked to friends at the local coffee shop, The Coffee Bean. Each one moved around the town without so much as a peep. Everyone who donated agreed only if they remained anonymous. The ladies did not want anyone to know it was them giving to others either, so the anonymous idea worked for all involved. It took the ladies a few months, but soon they had a back channel of donations of everything and a list of people to pour items upon.

Meeting the third Wednesday of the next month, each lady was armed and ready. Now the husbands were busy, but only one lady could sneak out of the house unnoticed at a time. Gloria went first. She said loudly she was going out to get more wine and did the men need anything. A resounding NO came from the den. Gloria left in pretense of getting the wine. She drove to her first house and left two giant gift bags on the porch. One was of clothes for the children and the other was food for the entire family, which hopefully would get them through to the next month. Gloria sauntered back to her car a block away, drove to grab two bottles of wine from the store and headed back to the secret society.

Sylvia was up next. She had money cards labeled with different family names. She had $1500 in each envelope to give ten families. The holidays would soon be upon us and even though she knew most of the money would go to paying bills, she could hope perhaps come Christmas presents as well. She snuck up to the first house and gentle pushed an envelope through the mail slot and ran, she did the same at all the other houses. Only once was she almost caught. Once all the money was delivered she headed back to her secret society.Anna was up next.

Anna had a list of items people needed. She knew Tom down the road needed a new toolbox as his was duck taped shut. She knew the Anderson family down the way needed a break from their kids, so she left them a voucher for a sitter. She knew the Tompkins needed some new siding as theirs was falling off their home. She left them a coupon for free siding with a note saying it was paid for in advance and just to call. She went to The Coffee Bean and gave the owner $500 to use as she saw fit for others hard down on their luck. When all the gifts were disbursed, she headed back.

When all three women were back in the house, the football game just finished, and the men came into the kitchen. Each hugged his wife. Everyone headed to their respected homes and said their good nights. Each woman pretended she was a little tipsy from all the wine. But Anna put the bottles under the cabinet and took out more empties from the recyclables to show they drank it all.

Each woman hugged the others goodbye, winked at each other, and would think what they would do for their community the following month. The food would get to whomever needed it, so would the money, but the do-gooders ideas took some time to come to them. They promised to each have ideas before the next secret society meeting.

The following month they met and decided who would need what for their do-gooder list. Their husbands went right to the game and ignored them, so they were good to discuss their plan for this month. They still had plenty of money, food, and clothes to pass out, but they did not have a list of who to do what for. They did not have their do good ideas.

Anna and Sylvia sat and discussed people in this town, gossip that they heard, they wanted to wait on Gloria, but they got to talking and more gossip came out. It was not the mean kind; it was the who can we help kind. Doris down at the tavern heard a great amount if information, so without telling her what they were doing, they asked her questions. She got suspicious and asked what they were up to, but just then Gloria walked in. They got their drinks and moved to a booth. More gossip about the Waverly’s needing better farm equipment, and they spoke of the other families in need. Farm equipment was expensive, but Anna said she had a connection and could help. Other people were having car issues that were too expensive to pay for, so they decided to pay their local car repair shop in advance for all the repairs they knew families needed. Carl at the auto shop just shrugged and did not ask any questions. The ladies noticed men do not care what you are up to and women asked to many questions. Carl said he would call the families and let them know to come in and the repairs were now free.

So, on the next third Wednesday they were rearing to go. Now they had to figure out how to go out without being noticed by their husbands. Sylvia said she was craving tacos and supposedly went to get them. She was almost caught as her husband saw her come back empty handed. She explained she wanted them, but thought she left the stove on, so went to check, but then did not want the tacos anymore, so she just came back.

One by one the women went out, and one by one did their do-gooder society business. No one was the wiser. At the end of the night, they said their goodbyes. None of their husbands suspected a thing again and the girls winked at each other and said their good nights and promised to meet up the next third Wednesday to discuss who to help and in what way. This would go on for as long as there was a need, after football season they were convinced another sport would entertain the men. Anna, Sylvia, and Gloria had hearts of gold do-gooders and would continue for as long as they could, while helping as many people as possible.