Diane and I cruised into the Concord Park circle, a bit late, but still in time to ferry Flo to bingo the requisite two hours before the first number is shouted out.

“How’s the place, still dead?”

During the holidays there was no one to be seen, but the glasses askew, professor type, who sits in the first chair and keeps an eye on the new arrivals.

“They all go to their rooms after dinner.” Flo answered as she swung herself up and into the back seat of my truck.

“Even Bessie?” I reached over and snapped her seat belt.

“Everyone. I can’t get them to come to my place for anything. I even offer them wine.”

“Bunch of dead heads. How can you put up with that?” I began playing to my audience of one, Diane.

As we drove away I asked about entertainment.

“There hasn’t been any. One person sang old songs and Rick might be coming next week, but other than that… .”

“What are you paying all that money for?”

“They did have a birthday party with cake and ice cream. It was for the January birthdays. They have parties for everything.”

Ah, the contradiction. Diane pounced. “Wait a minute. How can they have a party for everything and you say it’s dead?”

“Oh, those are just parties.”

I jumped back in, “Flo, if you think it’s dead at your place, try ours.”

Flo didn’t hear me, but Diane laughed so hard, Flo asked what it was I said.

“I said, if you think it’s dead at Concord Park, you should try our house.”

“Whenever I call, no one answers.”

“That’s because we are all in bed, “ Diane answered.

“No. Diane is in bed and Matt’s out and that leaves me with nothing to do. Our place is like a tomb.”

We arrived at St. Bridget’s after the usual, “Where are we?” from Flo, and, “Oh, he’s taking the back roads,” from Diane and the, “I didn’t know it was this far,” from Flo. I pulled up to the door and there were four women waiting outside. The door wasn’t locked, it was as if they were waiting for the star attraction, and as she slid off the back seat and onto the pavement one of the women said, “Hurry up Flo.”

“Yeah Flo, you can move faster than that,” another chimed in.

Flo was clearly delighted by the attention and before they all turned toward the door, Flo kissed me good bye said, “He’s my good luck charm!”

The hurry up woman looked at me and fired back, “If she wins, you’re lining up out here next week.”