Old Dogs New Tricks

Turns out old dog can learn new tricks because, arriving at bingo just minutes before the start, I found no one had touched my cards, beads, water bottle.

That doesn’t mean bingo was without drama.

Di walked in, sat at the table with me, as did Name Dropper — the resident that came to us in July and was quick to say her granddaughter is an actress, had a role with John Travolta when she was a child.

Name Dropper said she doesn’t hear well, which may be why she was so LOUD.

Rather than clap, Name Dropper would HOOP AND HOLLER when someone won. In addition to which, she and Di talked when they shouldn’t have, completely oblivious to the disapproving glances cast their way by other players and the organizers.

At one point, I warned them ………… "You two are going to get in trouble", but Name Dropper seemed to take my words as a challenge, finished her conversation with Di with a look in her eyes which indicated she was telling me "You can’t tell me what to do".

It wasn’t too long after, when I’d stepped away from the table to help a winner at the prize table, and saw one of the organizers walk over to Name Dropper, lean in, say something to her.

When I returned to the table, Name Dropper had a hurt expression on her face and said, "I’ve just been told I’m too loud. Am I loud?"

"Well yeah", said I as I nodded in the affirmative.

Guess that wasn’t what she wanted to hear, because she then turned to Di, who had also been away from the table — probably to get a cupcake and, looking to be on the verge of tears said to Di, yada yada yada "I’ve never been so insulted in my life", yada yada yada "I almost got up and walked out", yada yada yada, "I’ll never acknowledge or smile at that woman again".

Di commiserated with Name Dropper, began to advise her saying, "This is what you do when people say things like that to you".

I'd tuned out by then, and didn't catch what Di told her to say.

Name Dropper and Di continued to rehash the audacity of being told to pipe down off/on to bingo’s end.

I also met a new resident who is a returnee — lived here a few years ago, just moved back.

Poor thing is in for a big surprise, as things aren’t like they used to be.

Checking out the prize table when I walked in, I’d spotted a small gingerbread house kit; decided I’d pick it as my prize if I won a game.

My winning wasn’t looking good, until suddenly, with only two more games to go, I won — called BINGO! at Game 8.

Later, when bingo ended — and Name Dropper and Di were still discussing the incident, one of the organizers heard Di say the word "F _ _k", called me over to say how outraged she was.

Big fifing deal …… This woman obviously doesn’t know me, thought I as I said, "I say it all the time".

"But you don’t say it in here, in front of us".

"Not yet".

That’s twice when someone tried to drag me into inconsequential issues. First was when Name Dropper tried to get me to commiserate with her hurt feelings, and then one of the organizers wanted me to be as outraged as she by someone using a four-letter word.

The ladies don't seem to realize we’ve got bigger problems.

After having been on edge for such a long time, dreading the outcome of the election, like I previously posted ……… I am strangely mellow now.

Nothing is fazing me. It didn’t even faze me that The Baker served the cupcakes she made in red/white/blue patriotic liners, which I took to be an indicator of her possibly being a red hat. The liners being the equivalent of trucks I've been seeing, since the election, deliberately driving around with big American flags waving in the air.

She’s never indicated so, I’ve never asked, but inasmuch as her daughters are married to cops and firemen, it makes sense The Baker is more than likely leaning that way.

Oh well, everyone has to be something, so I didn’t make a big deal of it other than to let her know I know by saying, "Um hum, red, white and blue liners".

She laughed sheepishly.

So, that’s the tea on this episode of bingo with the seniors.