Seniors Doing it for Themselves

Quiet uneventful holiday weekend thus far here in Purgatory; but not as uneventful as I’d expected it to be because I received a call yesterday afternoon from The Seer. She, Apache, The Baker, and The Author (the new resident who is a published author of Christian literature) are organizing a hot dogs and hamburgers get together, 2:00 today, Sunday, would I like to participate?

Sure.

You bet.

What better way to thumb our noses up at Nurse Ratched’s successful sabotaging of the new Activity Director’s Labor Day potluck than to do something successfully on our own.

The area chosen for today’s get together is the patio area by the grill.

As you can see, we do have a grill, but inasmuch as we no longer have permission to use said grill, we will be barbequing on resident-owned George Forman grills.

To backtrack a bit … back when the previous Activity Director was Nurse Ratched’s target, there were several instances of sabotage and being uncooperative. One such act of sabotage was the June Father’s Day event.

Barbeque Hot Dogs were on the menu. However, when the then Activities Director and her three teenage daughters – whom she said had wanted to come to work with her for some time, had finished lugging in chips, dozens and dozens and dozens of packages of buns and hot dogs, and went to the grill, they found it inoperable. Nurse Ratched had removed the propane, and made sure she wasn’t around to be asked to give it up.

Residents had already gathered, so the then Activities Director and her daughters had been forced to run out and BUY enough chicken from El Pollo to cover the event.

An expensive proposition, and then there were all the hot dogs and buns she’d purchased for the event but were unable to use.

Since that time, the propane remains locked away and the grill goes unused -- except when management hosts an event for us residents, which is generally twice a year.

Not to let the lack of propane get in their way, Apache and The Author (she’s learning rather quickly) are bringing their George Forman grills.

This should be interesting, as I think those Forman grills are electric and need outlets. I don’t recall any outlets in the patio area, but I guess I’ll find out at 2:00 today. Otherwise, it will have to be hibachis or grill inside our units (the Community Room Kitchen is closed) and bring outside.

Who needs an Activity Director, when we can find ways to do it ourselves.

I imagine, Nurse Ratched will go berserk when she reviews the tapes and finds out what we’ve been up to over the weekend. She might even try to come up with a rule to impose that we can’t use Forman grills or hibachis in the patio area.

But for now it’s on.

Though I agreed to bring the hot dog buns and potato chips, I don’t imagine my clean eating will be affected much, as I don’t eat hot dogs or hamburgers. Maybe just a little potato salad, a few chips and just enjoy the company and the gossip.

However, if Creepy Guy is there, I won’t be tempted even to potato salad and chips. I’ll be turning around and heading back to my unit.