Saturday, March 20, 2010

Beatrice (Going to the Casino; Born in the 30s)

This, as you can imagine, caused quite some excitement in class – Beatrice told us that she had won BIG at the casino on the senior center’s field trip the week before:

Beatrice Newkirk
March 18, 2010
Going to the Casino

I took a trip to the casino and got on the penny machine.  I did not play right away.  It was a nice day.  There were 35 people on the bus.  We had a lot of fun.  We went in the van that belongs to the center.  We left at 10 o’clock and returned at 4:30.  Everyone got to the van on time. 

I won 85 dollars on the penny machine.  I did not put it back.  I felt so good being a winner.

BTW don’t you just love the way she said, “I did not put it back”? What a punchline, right? What will power! She had us all doubled over the table, laughing. She won 85 dollars on the penny machine... but, hey, she made sure we knew, she did not put it back!

Oh, and I want to show you something else she wrote, same class, same day. About something altogether different, about being born in the 30s, but it’s the same cheeky, surprising humor – the fact that she did this as a list is so funny, I think, not to mention the way the list ends. And her kind of humor is so unique… the way she can simultaneously make us laugh and teach us deep lessons.

Beatrice Newkirk
March 18, 2010
Born in the 30’s

I am glad I was born in the 30’s, there are so many things to remember:

1.    Things were hard to get in the early years
2.    Time went slowly
3.    The week seemed like months
4.    Monday to Friday did not go fast
5.    The end of the month took a long time
6.    The end of the year took a long time
7.    But one thing, in the olden days, people cared about one another; people checked on everyone.
8.    Treated people with respect