2226. Revenge is sweet

The Canasta Club was a thriving retired persons’ venture in the town. Every Thursday evening about sixty people would gather to play canasta and socialize.

As with every such group there is always a head gossiper. Cushla was such. Not a snippet of intrigue escaped her attention. This week it was about Damarius. Damarius was over in the corner with his group playing canasta, and Cushla was on the other side of the room with her group.

“Did you know,” said Cushla, “that Damarius’ old truck was parked outside the only pub in town for several hours? I believe that can be interpreted only one way; he has a problem with drink. He clearly needs to seek help. There’s a club somewhere in town for alcoholics that meets regularly. With his truck parked outside the pub for so long it definitely points to his alcoholic tendencies.”

This juicy piece of gossip was quietly spread from card table to card table. “Damarius is an alcoholic. His truck was parked outside the pub for hours, and everyone in town knows that truck.”

Word reached Damarius’ table. He didn’t say a word but went on quietly playing canasta.

Later, he parked his truck on Cushla’s driveway, took the keys, and left the truck there all night.

1855. Fate deals the cards

Olga stumbled across a free online webpage that would interpret the four tarot cards clicked on. The entire deck of cards was spread out, face down. Things hadn’t been going well for Olga recently and she was searching for something positive to cling to. She had been threatened by strangers several times in the past week because she had been seen going into a fast food establishment that was no longer considered woke.

Olga clicked on four cards, even though she thought that such things online were bogus hocus-pocus. The four cards when clicked on turned their faces up. An interpretation of the selected cards was proclaimed by a computerized voice.

The first card shows that you are insecure and do not know whether or not to accept a recent invitation to a birthday party. Go! Go to the party!

That’s true, thought Olga. I have been invited to Elaine’s birthday party at the solstice and I wasn’t keen to go.

The second card indicates what sort of gift you should bring to the birthday party. Nothing too expensive; nothing too ostentatious. Just a pleasant gift that the person would enjoy.

How right that is, thought Olga. I am so pleased I bought Elaine a simple peace lily in a lovely pot.

The third card indicates someone else at the party whom you meet for the first time. It could be a person of the opposite sex. The card indicates that they will become a significant person in your life.

That is so exciting, thought Olga. I’m well into the marriageable age and have yet to find Mister Right.

The fourth and final card indicates…

It was then that Olga’s phone rang. Hello. Hello, said Olga. It was Elaine. Could Olga email her the online address for party games she had told her about? Sure she could. She would do so immediately.

What a shame that Olga never heard the reading for the remaining card she had selected. Otherwise she may not have been murdered at the party by “Mister Right”.

1067. Let’s all make a card

Lizzie, the teacher, planned for her class to make Father’s Day cards. Oh! But she had forgotten that Samantha’s father was dead. The class couldn’t possibly make the cards, said Lizzie. It would be like rubbing Samantha’s face in it.

Lizzie, the teacher, planned for her class to make Mother’s Day cards. Oh! But she had forgotten that Jonathan’s mother was dead. The class couldn’t possibly make the cards, said Lizzie. It would be like rubbing Jonathan’s face in it.

Lizzie, the teacher, planned for her class to make Memorial Day cards. Oh! But she had forgotten that Angela’s aunt was killed in Afghanistan. The class couldn’t possibly make the cards, said Lizzie. It would be like rubbing Angela’s face in it.

Lizzie, the teacher, planned for her class to make Christmas cards. Oh! But she had forgotten that Tareq’s uncle was a Sunni from Jordan. The class couldn’t possibly make the cards, said Lizzie. It would be like rubbing Tareq’s face in it.

At last! said Lizzie. Good morning class! Today is Buddha’s Birthday in Nepal. No one here is a Buddhist I believe. No one is from Nepal. Let’s all make a card!