The Fix

My 99-year old aunt is hard
of hearing and hard of seeing
but wants no remedial devices
at her age. She loves the slots
and often asks me to take her
to the nearby casino though
she hates to lose when those
near her win. I wheel her
from one machine to another,
ask her how much she wants
to bet, help her find the button
to push to play, and report the
result cause to her it’s all fuzzy
lights and noise. But lately she
enjoys every trip: I bet 88 cents
when she suggests five bucks
and tell her no matter what from
time to time that three diamonds
or monkeys or dragons or tigers
or wheels of fortune have rolled
up in a row and paid off enough
to prove she’s one lucky old lady.