I live in Parkview Gardens Apartments in Warrensburrtg, Missouri.  This is a HUD subsidized low income housing for senior citizens and disabled.  We are a close knit group and take care of each other.  We all have emergency alarms in the bedroom and bathroom.  Pulling the cord sets off an alarm that can be heard throughout the complex.  An alarm goes off and neighbors rush to the aid of the friend.  Cell phones come out of pockets and the police and fire come immediately.

Aside from that, we have fun together.  Every Thursday afternoon, we gather together to play bingo.  Everybody brings a white elephant gift.  We play until everybody has their turn to win.  If you have already won, it doesn’t matter if you have a bingo, it is somebody else’s turn to win.  After everyone has won we play one round of blackout.  Blackout winner gets a second prize.    We laugh, joke, and have a grand time together.

Once a month we have a potluck dinner.  The manager provides the meat and the residents bring their special dish.  Since there are more than one hundred apartments the little community room is crowded on potluck day.  But, there always seems to be room for everyone. 

One of my favorite features of Parkview Gardens is the library.  While it isn’t very big I always find something to read.  I love to browse through the selection which seems to always be changing.  Today there was a new box of books that had not yet been put on the shelves.  I noticed a couple of the bingo players were going through the box when bingo was over.

This is a great place to live.  I have wonderful friends and a lot of fun.  My neighbors prove on a daily basis that humanity is still humane.  May you grow old and live with a loving community.