Friday the 13th

So, the day started off with me walking to the Pain Cave this morning. Not that there was anything wrong with the car, thank the Lord, but because there was chaos in front of the building, extending into the entry/exit areas.

What with the cones, equipment, street crew, traffic and this being Friday the 13th, I saw an accident waiting to happen, didn’t want the accident to involve me, so decided to walk rather than drive.

Getting to the Pain Cave safe/sound, returning safe/sound, I changed out of my workout clothes, headed down to the Community Room for bingo.

On the way to bingo, I saw even more chaos in front of the building.

First was a fire truck blocking the gate.

Then came an ambulance that got confused by the orange cones, had to stop traffic coming in the opposite direction with their horns/sirens so they could cross traffic and find a way in.

While the ambulance was struggling to get in, respond to whatever emergency was in progress, I was feeling sorry for the resident needing assistance, that because of all the chaos, help was being delayed.

After the ambulance worked it out, then came FedEx.

The firetruck had, by that time, left, so FedEx had an easier time of getting in and finding space to park the truck.

The ambulance did eventually take a resident away and, as none of us in the Community Room recognized the resident, we assumed it was one of the shut-ins that, for one reason or another, has never been out and about to be seen.

Seeing Jenne at bingo, wearing a top that would go with my leggings, and a bottom that would go with my top made me think of those fashion paper dolls. The kind that we could switch up the clothes.

This afternoon’s bingo was the first time I’ve seen Red Light since she called to tell me Activity Director was hosting bingo — when I went down and ended up walking out because of how disorganized AD was and how insulting the prizes were.

Telling Red Light that I was done with AD, I’d given her a chance and she’d failed, Red Light began making excuses for AD, said AD would eventually get better, that she’d call me when that time came.

Saying eventually doesn’t work for me, I asked her to not bother calling me, cause I was done.

I also learned why Red Light didn’t show up for bingo that time, didn’t bring down our equipment so AD could get started — which I pointed out AD should not have been dependent on Red Light, a resident, for equipment or anything else because AD is getting paid to do a job.

She agreed, said it’s pretty much what the last AD did — depend on residents. 

So, anyway, she'd not shown up because she had been sick that day, was just helping AD out by calling us residents to get us down to bingo.

Bingo today was fun — it usually is when we do our own thing, leave inept management out of the picture. I didn’t win anything but didn't mind because, though we had lots of prizes to choose from, I didn’t see anything I wanted or needed.

One resident who never fails to come to bingo is an 85-year-old who has lived here since the building went up and is an inspiration to all of us.

Let’s call her Buttons, because she’s the resident that uses those cute buttons on her bingo cards.

Buttons lives alone and is a crafter — knits, crochets, writes poetry.

She walks with a cane, but never lets it stop her or slow her down. She’s very involved here, there, everywhere, on a daily basis.

When not attending one of our events, she’s taking the public bus to the catholic church or a shuttle to the Senior Center to take classes in whatever, participate in activities that go on in those places.

At any rate, she reported to us that at 2:00 AM this morning, she was awakened by a touch, something or someone shaking her foot.

It was a man standing at the foot of her bed.

She says she sat up and the man ran out. Did not harm her, did not take anything, just somehow got into her downstairs unit, touched her to let her know he was there and fled when she sat up.

She didn’t scream her arse off, as I would have.

Didn’t call the police — which I probably wouldn’t have either because … what can they do if and when they arrive.

She also did not tell management. She just told us, whereupon some of the ladies went to the office and immediately told management.

I have to give it to Buttons, she was so matter of fact in telling of the encounter. Cool as a cucumber.

I guess at 85, she’s seen and experienced everything, and nothing is a big deal.

I wonder if management will bother to send out a bulletin reminding the seniors to make sure their doors and windows are locked up tight at night OR if it’s no big deal to them either.