Casino! Casino! Casino! Casino! Casino! Casino! Casino! Casino! Casino! Casino! Casino!
Last Friday we had brunch and no dinner in order for the staff to get the Club ready for Casino Night to benefit the Alzheimer’s Association. In about three hours they created a miracle. At a table at the entrance Daisy was handing out free chips to play with and selling various raffle tickets. 50/50 raffle tickets and tickets for prizes. The prizes were displayed on a table in the Players Club: a large TV, various baskets with games, Christmas things, beers, wines, four garden chairs, tickets to the Symphony and much more.
Black and red drapes were put up at the entrance to the dining room, and underneath stood a table with a plethora of pupus: sliced cheeses, sausage, salami, crackers, and across from it a chef’s warming table with Oysters Rockefeller. Now those are absolutely not my taste, but a glass of Cabernet poured by our charming new physical fitness trainer hit the spot. In the center of the cheese table, elevated, stood a lovely ice sculpture of a dolphin. Inside the dining room stood a Blackjack table on either side and a large Craps table at the far end, backing up to the fireplace was surrounded by many people.
The doors to the Assisted Living were and remained open, and walking down the hall sipping my wine I noticed another ice sculpture, a large swan, surrounded by similar delectable finger foods. A Craps table still had no players, for there were not many people yet, and I found the same quiet atmosphere downstairs in the Theatre, where two Blackjack callers were waiting for customers. There was also a Roulette I was told later, which I didn’t see because I went back upstairs, where people had started streaming in. There were many people and friends and relatives from outside, and visitors and residents were decked out with masks, feather boa’s, sequined jackets and twenties style dresses. The atmosphere was warm and festive. I went back to the entrance to buy raffle tickets and then back to the Players Room to select the prizes I wanted to win. All prizes went to other people, however, as we heard when the numbers were read, starting at 7:00 p.m.
It was a wonderful, lively and fun event. Because of the many “normal” people from the outside, I mean people without canes or walkers or wheelchairs, it felt like being back in the real world again and that was great.
Sometimes I feel surrounded by too much misery. Take Donny. Two days ago, on our way out after dinner, we met Donny’s son and daughter at the front desk. We said hello and then Paul said, “Did you know that Donny died?”
“No! We did not know that. When did he die?”
“On Monday. He had some issues and went to the hospital twice, and on Sunday we took him again and he got sepsis and passed away. He was reading your book, Ronny, in the last week before he died.”
What a shock. Donny was a very nice 84 year old man in an electric wheelchair, whose son always accompanied him at Friday afternoon’s happy hour and sometimes for dinner afterwards. How sudden his passing happened; we couldn’t say goodbye. And that is something to remember in life. If you want to say something to somebody, something nice or important or loving, do it now! For you may never pass this way again.
Tomorrow afternoon we will be among “very abnormal” people at the Halloween party; last year many came disguised, and we have great plans. But that story will have to wait a week!
It’s a Wonderful World!
Until next time,
Ronny