Friday, March 22, 2013
Today was one of those Bingo days that just never gelled—lots of people showed up late and sat in new places, and everything seemed disjointed and chaotic. Or maybe that's just me.
But any time I walk in and don’t see Ray McDade, I’m thrown. Today Dorothy saw me looking at Ray’s empty spot—and looking lost—and told me to pull up a chair. “At least your purse can sit down,” she said. We talked about my baby/puppy (“It’s a good thing he’s cute,” I told her), and I walked over to greet Doris and Harriet.
Terry the volunteer was calling the numbers, and another volunteer had claimed the prize cart, so I was unmoored. I wandered around and lingered with Leo Martell (who was sitting and bantering sweetly with Royal, which I’ve never seen but loved), and even well into the second game, aides kept pushing in more players. Harriet, who keeps attendance, had to get up midgame and track down all the new faces.
Richard the volunteer was staying close to a man I’d never seen. I walked over to his table between games, thinking I might introduce myself, and the man said, simply and not especially pleasantly, “You’re in the way, lady.” I started to laugh, but he was not joking. I looked behind me to see exactly what I was in the way of—the next game hadn’t started yet, so the number board was useless—and he must’ve followed my gaze and my confusion. “I apologize,” the man said. “You are not in the way after all.”
During the first Blackout, I finally spotted Ray—in the hallway outside. He and Charlie had been at a Residents Council meeting, and neither had realized it’d lasted all the way into Bingo. I dug out Ray’s card and caught it up, and then he asked me to play it for a few minutes. “I really have to take a leak,” he laughed.
After Blackout (Ray tied but lost the draw-off), I returned the card deck to the Bingo table, and Billy rolled up to ask whether we were done. “Not yet,” I said. “It’s halftime.” “Halftime?” Billy asked. “Will there be a wardrobe malfunction?” It took me a second, but I had finally had a good Bingo laugh.
Faith came in late and told me she’s planning a trip to California. Leo and I spent a few minutes trying to make his new Easter-chick-keychain prize chirp. It would not.
Ray hugged me goodbye, and I collected my purse from Dorothy’s table. Bingo had taken longer than usual, and I still had to go in to work, so I debated whether I should stop in to see Bill. But not for long.
Bill’s curtain was drawn, and when I peeked around it, I saw him snuggled in bed under the covers. He looked sound asleep, so I started to turn, but he must’ve sensed my presence. Suddenly he was awake.
I sat on the edge of Bill's bed, and he pawed my nearest shoulder as if I were saving him from drowning. “I was going to come to Bingo,” he said. “But I wasn’t sure you’d be there.”
I told him I had to get to work but wanted to check in, and he told me he loves me. I told him, again, that I’m glad we’re friends.
He asked whether Ray had shown up at Bingo, and I said he had. “I get the feeling that Ray tries to Monopoly you,” Bill said. “Is that the right word?”
We both laughed. “Maybe ‘monopolize,’” I said. “But I knew what you meant, and I don’t think Ray does that.”
Bill asked whether he could kiss me goodbye, so I leaned in. “Cheek,” I said. He might not have heard me. “Cheek,” I said, a little more forcefully than I might have wanted to. Or maybe not.
I kissed Bill on his cheek. “See you soon,” I said.
“Call me,” Bill said, and I left him just as I’d found him.
Today was one of those Bingo days that just never gelled—lots of people showed up late and sat in new places, and everything seemed disjointed and chaotic. Or maybe that's just me.
But any time I walk in and don’t see Ray McDade, I’m thrown. Today Dorothy saw me looking at Ray’s empty spot—and looking lost—and told me to pull up a chair. “At least your purse can sit down,” she said. We talked about my baby/puppy (“It’s a good thing he’s cute,” I told her), and I walked over to greet Doris and Harriet.
Terry the volunteer was calling the numbers, and another volunteer had claimed the prize cart, so I was unmoored. I wandered around and lingered with Leo Martell (who was sitting and bantering sweetly with Royal, which I’ve never seen but loved), and even well into the second game, aides kept pushing in more players. Harriet, who keeps attendance, had to get up midgame and track down all the new faces.
Richard the volunteer was staying close to a man I’d never seen. I walked over to his table between games, thinking I might introduce myself, and the man said, simply and not especially pleasantly, “You’re in the way, lady.” I started to laugh, but he was not joking. I looked behind me to see exactly what I was in the way of—the next game hadn’t started yet, so the number board was useless—and he must’ve followed my gaze and my confusion. “I apologize,” the man said. “You are not in the way after all.”
During the first Blackout, I finally spotted Ray—in the hallway outside. He and Charlie had been at a Residents Council meeting, and neither had realized it’d lasted all the way into Bingo. I dug out Ray’s card and caught it up, and then he asked me to play it for a few minutes. “I really have to take a leak,” he laughed.
After Blackout (Ray tied but lost the draw-off), I returned the card deck to the Bingo table, and Billy rolled up to ask whether we were done. “Not yet,” I said. “It’s halftime.” “Halftime?” Billy asked. “Will there be a wardrobe malfunction?” It took me a second, but I had finally had a good Bingo laugh.
Faith came in late and told me she’s planning a trip to California. Leo and I spent a few minutes trying to make his new Easter-chick-keychain prize chirp. It would not.
Ray hugged me goodbye, and I collected my purse from Dorothy’s table. Bingo had taken longer than usual, and I still had to go in to work, so I debated whether I should stop in to see Bill. But not for long.
Bill’s curtain was drawn, and when I peeked around it, I saw him snuggled in bed under the covers. He looked sound asleep, so I started to turn, but he must’ve sensed my presence. Suddenly he was awake.
I sat on the edge of Bill's bed, and he pawed my nearest shoulder as if I were saving him from drowning. “I was going to come to Bingo,” he said. “But I wasn’t sure you’d be there.”
I told him I had to get to work but wanted to check in, and he told me he loves me. I told him, again, that I’m glad we’re friends.
He asked whether Ray had shown up at Bingo, and I said he had. “I get the feeling that Ray tries to Monopoly you,” Bill said. “Is that the right word?”
We both laughed. “Maybe ‘monopolize,’” I said. “But I knew what you meant, and I don’t think Ray does that.”
Bill asked whether he could kiss me goodbye, so I leaned in. “Cheek,” I said. He might not have heard me. “Cheek,” I said, a little more forcefully than I might have wanted to. Or maybe not.
I kissed Bill on his cheek. “See you soon,” I said.
“Call me,” Bill said, and I left him just as I’d found him.