The 411

There are a group of seniors who congregate in the Community Room every morning during the week (it’s closed on weekends). It’s basically the same group of residents who comprised the Activities Committee we had in place before the new owners took over, disbanded the Committee and gave us an Activities Director instead. So, I guess, it’s out of habit, the ladies and one gentleman, get together still, bring snacks, drink coffee, chat with each other, the residents who stop by to check in, and stick around until lunch time.

I should probably say “use to drink coffee” because the community coffee pot was discontinued by management for what I’ve since learned are “budget purposes”.

Me thinks that if Nurse Ratched didn’t keep running residents off, creating vacancies, there wouldn’t BE a budget problem.

But I digress.

So, Tuesday after the Labor Day Holiday, I went down to check in with the group to see how the potluck in the patio area had gone and whether there’d been any repercussions from Nurse Ratched.

For the very first time in the three years I’ve lived here, no one was there. Not a single solitary soul.

Checked in again on Wednesday.

No one.

Thursday.

No one.

Did Nurse Ratched do something to them?

Were they hiding?

Finally, on Friday, there were signs of life.

Asking, “Where was everyone?” I received no clear response, learned the potluck had gone great, and had the tables turned on me with, “A couple people said they saw you coming, but then you disappeared. Where did YOU go?”

ROFLMAO!

I told them the truth, “It was too hot and when I saw Creepy Guy’s head, I decided I could not handle the heat AND him, so I turned around and went back to my unit.”

The response was a lot of laughter.

So, anyway, the 411 as of Friday was … there had been no repercussions. In fact, Nurse Ratched had been mysteriously absent that entire week. The office said, “Sick”. The Seer, who knows all, said, “I don’t believe it. I think she’s being phased out.”

I’ll believe it when I see it; however, what gives credence to that rumor is Nurse Ratched was forced by Corporate to get rid of her daughter’s boyfriend whom she’d put on staff and given access to our personal financial records. Turns out, “Corporate said he wasn’t supposed to be here. Wasn’t qualified.”

That's kinda huge.

I also learned, the flyer announcing Bingo today, Tuesday the 15th, had been removed ... just like last time.

Did that mean the new Activities Director is gone already and there is no Bingo today?

Those present expressed they didn’t know and were beginning not even to care anymore.

I didn’t get to check-in with the folks yesterday, Monday, because I’d begun fasting 7:00 pm night before in preparation for lab work and focus was on getting that out of the way so I could put something in my stomach.

After waking unconscionably early this morning (3:45 am), puttering about waiting for daylight so I could log in some walking miles, I was all suited up and ready to go at 6:00 when I heard water running.

It’s raining!

Thank goodness, but puts a kink in my morning plans to walk, run by Starbucks, check-in to see if Bingo is on for today.

I’m at the point where I also am beginning not to care.

If the rain stops by noon -- when Bingo guy is suppose to show up, I’ll go down and check. Otherwise, I’m in for the day.