It seems that Jonah has been out all day telling people not to worry about anything, and to come over for “dinner.” It used to make me so angry when he would make plans without telling me, but I have a hard time feeling anything but empathy for those who wander into the yard, not sure whether they should have come or not, not knowing what to expect.Most of these people don’t even know each other, despite having been neighbours for several years. At first they stand around, unsure of what to do; Jonah is nowhere to be found. But then a few begin to take charge. I start to worry about Jonah, but I can’t help but get caught up in the general spirit of the occasion.A massive fire is started in a pit, and a side of beef appears on a large spit above it. Other fires sprout up, fuelled by wood that has been carted in, and suddenly everyone is busy, rushing around preparing a meal for everyone else. Tables emerge from somewhere, and the yard is transformed to a gigantic twilight picnic.
