This short story is from <Heartwarming Collection of Short Stories for Seniors: 2 Books in 1> by Bradley Windrow. It is perfect for seniors, even for dementia patients. Be sure to read until the end, as there’s a special gift waiting for you! hope you enjoy it!
You don’t stop having fun when you get old; you get old when you stop having fun. –Anonymous
At Sunset Hills Senior Home, life was predictable—too predictable. Dinner at 5, TV at 7, lights out by 9, and bingo on Tuesdays. For Edna, Harold, and Mildred, it was starting to feel like a very boring retirement sentence.
“I swear, if I have to sit through another round of bingo, I’ll start calling out fake numbers just to mess with them,” Edna huffed one evening, tossing her bingo card aside.
“So what’s the plan, Edna?” Harold leaned in, his eyes gleaming with curiosity.
“How about we shake things up? I’m thinking of a secret game night. After curfew.” Edna grinned.
“Game night?” Mildred, the quiet one, raised an eyebrow.
“Not just any game night,” Edna said with a wink. “A dare game night. We’ll spin a ‘Wheel of Fun.’ Whatever it lands on, you do the dare. No backing out.” Within days, Edna and Harold had secretly crafted a ridiculous Wheel of Fun, with dares ranging from silly to rebellious.
One day, while the staff assumed all the residents were asleep, Edna, Harold, Mildred, and a few others crept into the common room like a gang of teenagers sneaking out past curfew and setting up the Wheel of Fun in the center of the common room.
“Alright, let’s get this party started!” Edna whispered, rubbing her hands together. Harold, always the brave one, stepped up to spin first. The wheel spun and landed on “Dance in the hallway for 30 seconds.”
Without missing a beat, Harold shot up, stepped into the hallway, and launched into an over-the-top tango, kicking his legs and twirling. The group peered around the corner, biting their fists to hold back laughter as Harold strutted down the hall like a retired ballroom champ.
Next, it was Edna’s turn. She spun the wheel, and it landed on “Prank call the night nurse.” With a devilish grin, Edna picked up the phone and put on her best elderly lady-in-distress voice. “Oh dear, I think there’s a bear in the garden!” The group could barely contain themselves as the night nurses frantically scrambled to check the security cameras and garden to find nothing.
Then Mildred spun the wheel and, to everyone’s surprise, landed on “Wear your underwear over your clothes.” The group watched in stunned silence as Mildred disappeared into the bathroom. Moments later, she emerged, her underwear proudly pulled over her dress, strutting around the room like a fashion model. The room erupted in applause. The laughter grew louder with each ridiculous dare, and just as things reached peak chaos, they heard footsteps.
“Someone’s coming!” Harold hissed. Panicked, they scrambled to hide behind couches, trying (and failing) to stifle their giggles. The staff member walked by, none the wiser, while the seniors sat in their hide, trembling with suppressed laughter. With the coast clear, they snuck back to their rooms, grinning like fools. Sure, they’d go back to their usual routine tomorrow, but tonight? Tonight, they felt alive again.
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