Bingo

Earl gave her a look and Shelley clucked her tongue. She was always too loud, too much, too alive; she tried to apologize, but couldn’t this time. “Something is coming,” her mind said. “What are you doing, you daft woman?” Lavinia heard Earl say (in a faraway voice, but the lights were too bright in the church basement and she was already standing on her chair). “Is she having a stroke?” Pauline asked someone at the next table. “MY NAME IS LAVINIA SCHELL AND I AM 82 YEARS OF AGE,” she called out as the place fell to silence. “MY MOTHER THOUGHT I WAS SLOW BECAUSE I HAD A LISP, SO SHE SENT ME TO LIVE WITH MY AUNT CAROL. AUNT CAROL TAUGHT ME TO SING AND ALL OF MY WORDS CAME OUT RIGHT. (Something is coming.) I FELL IN LOVE AT 17 YEARS OF AGE WITH A BEAUTIFUL BOY WHO SPENT THE REST OF HIS LIFE WITH ME. I EAT TOO MUCH ICE CREAM AND DRINK TOO MUCH SHERRY. (Something is coming.) I COME TO GAME NIGHT BECAUSE I WANT TO BE ACTIVE IN MY COMMUNITY. I LOST MY BEST FRIEND TO CANCER THREE YEARS AGO AND MAKE DUE WITH THE LOT OF YOU BECAUSE GIVING IN TO LONELINESS IS AN INSULT TO THE POTENTIAL I STILL POSSESS. (Something is coming.) MAGDALENE HESS WINS THE BLUE RIBBON FOR ‘BEST COFFEE CAKE’ AT THE FAIR EVERY YEAR BECAUSE SHE’S CANOODLING WITH THE MAYOR. I MAKE THE BEST COFFEE CAKE, HANDS DOWN.” “Someone … uh … someone grab a hold of her,” Earl said, but no one moved. “I AM NOT TOO LOUD, AND I AM NOT TOO MUCH, AND I AM ALL RIGHT WITH BEING TOO ALIVE FOR MOST. I RELEASE ALL ENERGY THAT I HAVE TAKEN, WITH OR WITHOUT PERMISSION, AND I HEREBY RETRIEVE ALL ENERGY THAT I HAVE GIVEN WITH OR WITHOUT MY CONSENT. AND I CALL ‘BINGO’!” And something arrived - a point was made, a tide turned, a demon vanquished, and a self (singular and splendid beyond all comprehension) knew true freedom at last. 1 of the 3 energy vampires in her circle turned to dust when she pulled back, but Lavinia didn’t find that out for several days; when the light had come, she simply took her Bingo card to the front of the hall, picked up the small ham she’d won, stuffed it into her purse, and walked home.