DEADMEN WORKING: Excerpt: SENIOR PICNIC

                                          Chapter Two

"Ahh--- it is going to be a beautiful day for the picnic," Mary Burke said enthusiastically to her new intern, Carol, a freshmen from the local college working for the summer, as she drove to a large senior center, called the Claymore in the suburbs of Denver. 

"It must be fun working with older people who have so much experience. I think that this is going to be a great summer job."

"Well Carol, we are glad to have your assistance and I appreciate you volunteering to come in on your Saturday off to help with the picnic. We expect almost 40 seniors and some of their families to attend."

"Mrs. Burke, how long have you been the Director of this center?"

"You can call me Mary. With my two boys grown and with families of their own, I started doing volunteer work at this center over fifteen years ago. When George, my husband passed away ten years ago I took a full time position at the center and two years ago was asked to replace the Director who retired and moved to San Diego. I have come to know and love the people at Claymore, named after the family that built the center."

As their station wagon drove up the drive way and past the main building to the parking area in the rear, staff and volunteers were busy unloading a freezer truck and taking the cases of frozen hot dogs and hamburgers into the kitchen. Others were setting up barbecues in a long line in front of folding tables.

"Carol, if you could help set the tables, I will go into the kitchen and assist there. We plan to let the guys do the cooking on the grills. That's why we have so many small grills lined up. They will barbecue your hamburger to order."

"Thanks, Mrs. -----I mean Mary."              

The redwood tables and benches were already in place, as the lunches were generally served outside, weather permitting.

At 11:00 am the guests, started arriving. They came in private cars and mini buses from other centers, and some from nursing homes in the area.

 Mary Burke was in her element. To an outsider it looked like a poorly planned fire drill with some seniors talking in small groups or walking around and some in wheel chairs and kids running between them and a few dogs barking while everyone seemed to be talking at once. To Mary it was what a senior center was all about lots of different people having fun together.

Carol ran up to Mary; she was beaming with joy.

This girl is a natural care giver, maybe I can get her as an intern for the school year, Mary thought.

"Mary, the tables are set. Can I do anything else?"

"Yes, this is the hardest part. We have name tags for all of the guests. Please help Sidney and Maggie show everyone to their assigned seats. You may have to be flexible. If there are any problems, Maggie will be there to help."

"How do you want yours?" Asked a thin white-haired man wearing a chef's hat and a apron with "Hot Buns" written on the front.

Noticing the apron, Mary laughed and ordered hers well done. It had seemed to her that many of the elderly seemed to prefer their hamburgers rare. Some of the hamburgers even looked like that French raw meat dish she tried in New Orleans, called Steak Tartar or something.

She laughed again when she recalled her husband sending it back and saying, "Steak Tar Tar my ass."

"Here you go Mary, the best hamburger in the joint."

Mary looked at it, it was medium.

"Thanks Frank, but don't you have your apron on backwards?"

They both smiled and Mary walked towards a table where some of the guests were starting on desert. Before she sat down, she noticed that Carol had just been served her lunch. She caught her eye and signaled for her to join her at the table.

Carol sat down with a full plate of potato salad, a large mixed green salad, two hot dogs, corn on the cob and a soft drink.

"I couldn't eat the burgers. Mary, why can't men cook a well done hamburger?"

"That's it, Carol, you're a genius. It's a 'man thing'. Perhaps you could do a paper on it at school."

The center band was set up on the patio of the main building and they had begun to play. Mary checked her watch; it was already 1:00 pm. Some of the more frail elderly would have to be moved to the arm chairs or chaise lounges for their afternoon nap.

Mary started to say something to Carol, but stopped when she saw the concerned expression on her face. She turned to see what Carol was looking at. It was one of the nursing home guests, a woman in her eighties. She was sitting at the table behind theirs and was bent over and holding her stomach. Mary could hear a faint groan come from her. Mary leaped from her seat and moved quickly to the ailing guest.

"Carol, have Maggie get the nursing home driver, he is a paramedic and have him bring his cell phone with him."

As Carol raced off, Mary leaned over the women. She was helped from the table and was now lying on the grass.

Mary checked and the women had a fever. Before she could do anything else, Carol and the van driver arrived.

"I called the hospital and they are sending an ambulance."

"How do you know that she needs an ambulance?", Mary asked the driver.

"Its not just for her, look around you, I think we have a food poisoning problem here."

Mary stood up and turned slowly in a complete circle. In every direction, people were running in different directions and many guests, mostly elderly and children were lying on the grass in obvious pain.

The first of the ambulances arrived.

Mary heard a soft cry next to her. Carol was standing with her hands on her head and appeared to be crying, but no sound came out. Just tears rolling down her cheeks. Her eyes were fixed on the sight of what was once an idyllic setting to one of a holocaust. People were yelling for help, crying and some were trying to carry their loved ones to the ambulance.

"CAROL!", Mary yelled.

"Go get lots of blankets from the main house and tell them to call for more ambulances."

Carol seemed to snap out of her trance, and turned and ran towards the main building. Ambulances had begun to arrive and some of the vans and cars were already following the first ambulance down the drive way.

Within twenty minutes, only Mary, Carol and Sidney were left standing in the middle of the picnic area.

"Carol, Sidney, are you OK?"

They both answered at once that they were OK. Then Carol added, her eyes red and her voice breaking. "I didn't get a chance to eat anything."

"Nor did I."

Mary responded and then looked at Sidney. He just shrugged his shoulders.

"I'm a vegetarian."

They walked quickly towards Mary's car, got in and headed for the hospital.
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