SoldiersHomeStories.com
  • Home
  • The Residents' Stories
  • Blog: My Visits with the Veterans
  • Photo Gallery
  • About This Project
  • Soldiers Home History
  • In Memoriam

Slow-Moving Bingo Vehicle

6/23/2011

2 Comments

 
Friday, June 17, 2011

Tonight was my first Bingo session since my surgery. I probably wasn’t ready for all that walking, prize-cart-pushing and general staying-awaking, but no one else could do it, and I kind of missed my gang.

I was a little early, and a lot of residents were waiting in the hallway before the Bingo room officially opened. I gave Ray McDade a giant hug and thanked him for staying in touch. Dorothy and Harriet, who’d had similar surgeries of their own years ago, were amazed I was up and on my feet so quickly.

Once inside, I explained to Ari the Bingo caller that I was on my own, and on unsteady footing, and he made an announcement asking everyone to please be patient with me. Which worked for about the first five minutes. Patience is not a Bingo virtue.

At one point, as three or four winners were frantically waving their Bingo cards to summon me and my coveted prize cart, Ari decided elevator music might fill the gaps and calm the savage Bingo-ers. He hummed some Muzak-worthy renditions, which made me laugh, but no one else was amused.

Bill Crowell came in, and I hugged him and told him how much I appreciated his phone call. He asked how my kittens were.

Midway through, noticing I’d been sitting between Bingos and oofing every time I got up, sweet Dorothy started helping with the Bingo confirmations.

Together, we made it through, and at the end of the night, Ari spoke into the microphone again: “Let’s all thank Sandy for coming in and helping us so soon after her surgery.” The response was like a well-trained classroom: “Thank you, Sandy,” everyone chimed.

It could have been sarcastic, now that I think about it, but it made me feel better. This place always does.   
2 Comments
Tara
7/15/2011 05:00:55 am

Sandy, I'm glad that you are recovering well. And thanks for all that you do and the time you spend volunteering at the Home!! :-) Hope to catch up with you soon!

Reply
car service in maryland link
5/30/2012 03:32:42 pm

Great short content, however only a few of the points were actually handled really fantastic, I definitely experienced what you had to say. Keep going because you certainly bring a new speech to this subject.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Author
    My name is Sandy Deneau Dunham. I'm a journalist who’s worked at The Phoenix Gazette, The (Tacoma) News Tribune,  The Seattle Times, Town Hall Seattle and Pacific Lutheran University. I'm now back at The Seattle Times, as associate editor of its gorgeously glossy Pacific NW magazine. I've been a volunteer at the Washington Soldiers Home and Colony in Orting, Washington, since January 2009, and I am still a remedial videographer.   

     

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed