Last week, the Mansion Activities Director asked me if I could help them find a new bingo game, Bingo is popular at the Mansion and their old set had deteriorated.  This, I thought, was a perfect case for the Army Of Good, a small thing in many ways, but a big thing to the people in the Mansion.

Bingo is activity almost anyone can join, and prizes are awarded, people look forward to it.

So I got on Amazon right away and found this “State Fair” Bingo game and it came right away and makes it’s debut at 6 p.m. in the Mansion dining room. I know some of the staff have to stay late on Friday to play, so I volunteered to run the game myself. The residents got excited that Red and I were coming to join them for the new Bingo game.

This was exciting to me. I have never played Bingo in my life, I have no idea how it works. I’ve been boning up at the Mansion, taking the game apart and getting some lessons.  Maria might join me, and our friend Susan Popper, who is in town for a couple of days, and is a veteran Bingo player.

I’m not sure why I’m so excited about it. I love learning new things, of course, but I also love the connection of running a game that gives people pleasure and stimulates them. They don’t have the freedom I have to go out to the movies or dinner whenever I please, or just take a drive around.

I don’t know why the idea gives me so much pleasure, maybe I just like the idea of belonging. That has not always been my story. The Mansion residents and i are comfortable together, we trust each other and feel at ease with each other.

I love the mission we are on: small gifts of great kindness.

Somehow, this is where I belong tonight. I’m going to go out and buy some prizes, a gift certificate to a local convenience store and some sparkly stuff at the Dollar Store.