Year-End Wrap-up

This morning was the last workout of the year.

This afternoon, the last bingo session of the year.

Trainer does not plan to take Monday — New Year’s Day off, so it’ll be the same old same old first of the year.

Next bingo game is not until January 12, so I have that time to prepare myself for interacting with the Usual Suspects for another year.

Bingo today was interesting.

First off was the seating arrangement. Complex Manager did rearrange tables and chairs back to separating us except, instead of two chairs per table, there are now four chairs.

Guess she thinks she’d being magnanimous, allow groups of four.

She also unlocked the refrigerator — just for today, so Red Light, the Baker and Homegirl could refrigerate ice cream for break time’s ice cream sundaes.

What I found that was so interesting was learning that, in addition to the three or four video cameras positioned in the room so management can keep an eye on us …… don’t ask me why because we don’t do anything but play bingo and have the occasional event, but that we’re also being voice recorded.

This I never knew.

When I was standing by the kitchen counter, asking if the refrigerator was locked. I was told Community Manager (CM) had acquiesced to allowing us to use it today, but management removed their sodas.

I made the comment "I guess so we won't steal their sodas and, excuse me, but I thought the refrigerator and Community Room were for the Community, not for management’s sodas and lunches". Whereupon Homegirl told me to whisper because they were listening to us.

The way she found out was that CM told Red Light she didn’t appreciate something Homegirl had said about her. Homegirl knew what she’d said, when and where she’d said it — in the kitchen while she and Red Light were preparing something for the seniors.

Homegirl is not one to take crap or back down. According to her, she strode right over to CM’s office, told her she didn’t have to eavesdrop, that’s she’d tell CM to her face how she feels about her; and further, that if she (CM) has a beef with her (Homegirl) to keep Red Light out of it, come directly to her.

Being called out thusly, she (CM) won’t have anything to say about what she’s overheard while eavesdropping on us again. In future, she’ll keep it to herself or complain to other staffers.

There’s really nothing she can do about the fact everyone hates her, except to work on being a better human — which doesn't seem likely.

I myself don’t have an issue with her — probably because she and I have limited contact; and I often tell others that as bad as they think she is, we’ve had worse. That this CM doesn’t even come close to the horror of the years we suffered under Nurse Ratched.

The other interesting thing to happen in bingo involved our Boebert character.

I’d seen her a few days ago, walking down the street, going in a direction that made me wonder to myself "Where’s she going?"

Heading to this morning’s workout, there she was again, crossing the street, heading in a direction where there’s nothing but a redneck bar and a hole in the wall food establishment.

Inasmuch as she seems to be on a schedule — seen walking that way, backpack on her back when I'm on my way to work out, I began to think perhaps she's working a part time job in one of the two places.

Maybe not, because she was seated at bingo when I arrived an hour or so later.

So, anyway, she has this thing that, when she wins a bingo game, she doesn’t allow me to take her photo for the resident’s website.

No problem I except, she posed for photos at the Christmas party.

So, when she won a bingo game today, I went to take her photo. She held up her hand and said "No!"

"So we’re back to that" said I. Whereupon, she whispered in my ear, "I have a workman’s comp lawsuit".

Okaaaay, but how does that compute when I see you walking down the street like a normal healthy person, headed who knows where, open to those you surmise might be observing you, hired to catch you faking whatever it is you’re alleging, can take all the photos they need, but you can’t be seen playing bingo.

I'm not buying it.

I may have to check the Most Wanted sites to see if something other than a "lawsuit" is at play.

I also learned a decision has been made on the county's approval of that $500 rent increase for those here living on the county roll.

Red Light tells me the county is paying the entire $500 for her, but others are not so fortunate.

For instance, Buttons — our 86-year-old, is required to come up with an additional $200 a month. The county will pay only $300 — something about being based on income.

It doesn't appear to any of us that Buttons can come up with an additional $200, and we’re guessing many others are in the same boat as Buttons — the same or similar amounts.

This is how seniors become homeless. It's a choice between food, medication or rent.

Seeing something like this is scary and depressive, as none of us can be assured of what might happen to us in the future.

Bingo today was good to me. I won twice.

First game, I chose an olive oil decanter from the prize table.

My second win was the Blackout Game, which meant I got to choose a prize from the big table. I chose a blender, as the top on my Ninja Blender has been giving me grief.

As for where such a prize came from, the Talker — being a big spender at the casino, is often given entertainment packages, which she keeps, attends the concerts; and big-ticket items, such as this 10-speed blender, immersion blenders, air fryers, etc., which she donates to the Blackout prize table.

Leaving bingo, heading back to my unit, I thought to check the callbox, see if Meat Man's name was still listed as a resident. Though I am 99.99 percent certain he no longer lives here, and that his leaving has something to do with the Laundry Room break-ins, he is still listed as a resident of that unit.

Lastly, there was a knock knock knock on the door this evening.

It wasn’t Red Light.

I actually don’t have to worry about her climbing stairs anytime soon, because her foot is acting up again. In fact, she was limping during bingo, saying she’d be heading for Urgent Care directly after.

This time it was my Little Stalker.

So there you have it — last workout of the year, last bingo game, probably last tale to be told of the complex for this year.