Every Other Friday

Today was that Friday ………… Bingo Friday.

To explain why the afternoon went the way it did, let me start off by saying, I’m hanging on by a thread ……… my nerves on edge because I have a bad feeling about the outcome of this election, and I wasn’t looking forward to fulfilling my responsibility of participating in bingo, mingling with people, taking photos, updating the resident’s FB page.

So, that was my state of mind when, after the morning’s workout, I rushed back to the complex and, as I always do every other Friday, hurried into the Community Room to claim a seat at a table where I can easily take photos — set up bingo card, placed a container of glass chips next to the cards, and left my water bottle to indicate the spot was taken.

Then I rushed upstairs, changed out of workout clothes, grabbed my Witches Brew thermos, filled it with coffee, and made it back down to the Community Room about five minutes before the start of bingo.

Walking into the room, I see the place was crowded and two of the usual suspects were sitting at the table I’d set up, which was okay. I wasn’t taking ownership of the entire table, just that spot.

Problem is, the two had taken over the spot I’d prepared. Gone were the cards and the water bottle.

I pitched a fit ……… "Where’s my stuff!? ……… Who’s taken my spot!?"

Turned out the two had walked in, and instead of adding themselves to the table with the prepared spot, decided to take the table over so they could sit together, just the two of them.

Giving them the benefit of doubt, one can say the two don’t have common sense — not seeing a body occupying the space, it just did not compute to them that the water bottle, et al, meant someone was sitting there. They asked the organizers to take it away and evidently the organizers can’t put two and two together either, as they did as requested, took it all away.

On the other hand, it just might be the two old biddies thought they could just do what they wanted to do, and whoever had planned to sit there would just quietly let it be.

Like I said, I’m on edge, now is not the time to push me.

When I walked right up and confronted the two of them, they realized I was royally pissed, began grabbing their stuff to get up and move, but I said "Never mind. I’ll find somewhere else to sit".

I ended up joining Di at a table in the back corner, which meant I had to get up and walk further to take photos of players as they won.

It took me a while to get back to center, and call it Karma when neither of the two won a game — and one of the two is usually lucky, always wins at least the two game limit and then sometimes the Blackout game. She's just lucky but to my enjoyment, not this time.

On the other hand, I won — Game 7 and chose another oven mitt as my prize, this one came with a potholder.

Actually, I won two games — Game 7 and Game 9, but did not call bingo on Game 9 because there was nothing else on the prize table I wanted or needed.

I doubt I’ll be in a better frame of mind Friday after next, so there will be hell to pay if my setup is messed with yet again.

On the other hand, it might give me the excuse I need to get out of the bingo responsibility — turn around, walk out in a huff, refuse to participate again.

My luck, things will go smoothly next time.

You readers might recall Manager telling Red Light that she didn’t want her coming around here. Told Activity Director to not let Red Light participate in activities.

Well, Red Light is bold as brass defying Manager. She joined us for bingo today.

Manager has no control over who can and who cannot participate in activities the residents themselves have organized. The only way she can stop Red Light from participating in our activities is to threaten the organizers that she will no longer allow us to use the Community Room for bingo or anything else.

She’s petty enough to go that route if she can’t get Corporate’s permission to formally ban Red Light from the property.

Stay tuned.