a favorite short story

Here is a favorite short story I wrote a few years ago. It came about as a result of a conversation I had with a former customer, an elderly lady who went to the local senior center once a week to play cards with a bunch of other senior ladies who were, to say the least--well, cards.

ELSPETH THE GOSSIP
Even with the window closed, you could still hear the bees buzzing around the hydrangeas and the jonquils. The noise wasn't enough to drown out Elspeth Higginbotham though. Everyone at the Senior Center agreed Elspeth used up more than her fair share of oxygen. I put an eight of spades on the table and Elspeth dropped the Queen of spades right on top of it. "Elspeth...!" I said. But she was still talking.
"You should have seen Marjorie Jean! I can't believe she would wear something like that at the flower show! I have a dress like that but I wouldn't be caught dead wearing it at the flower show. But that Marjorie Jean thinks she can wear anything!" Elspeth took a sip of coffee and said, "I can't stand the coffee here! You ladies know what I bet?"
Elspeth lowered her voice and leaned forward over the table. I wish she would stop leaning forward over the table like that. Every time she does Dorothy drops her cards and stares and it's embarrassing. I know Elspeth is well endowed but I wish Dorothy would stop staring like that. Well, anyway, Elspeth lowered her voice and said in a whisper loud enough so everyone at the tables on either side of us could hear, "I bet they are letting Louise make the coffee again."
Elspeth laid her cards down on the table and crossed her arms. I noticed Dorothy staring again! I do wish she would stop staring! That Elspeth went on saying how everyone knows Louise is married to a South American and how she bet Louise's husband grew coffee beans down there.
"I bet that's why they let Louise make the coffee," Elspeth was saying. It was my turn again so I laid the Ace of spades on the table and gave Elspeth my most intense hinting look. She ignored me and threw down the three of clubs!
"Elspeth...!" I said. And she kept right on talking about Mrs. Brunamaker's son Richland.
"Everyone knows they call that boy 'Richie' but I'll never understand why!" Elspeth said. "Why, I don't know of a person alive who doesn't know that 'Richie' is short for Richard and Mrs. Brunamaker's son's name is not Richard, it's Richland!"
It was Elspeth's turn to deal and she pulled the pile of cards over and began to shuffle them. All the other ladies at our table began to smirk at Elspeth because they didn't think she was going to be able to shuffle and deal the cards and keep on talking; they haven't known Elspeth Higginbotham as long as I have. Elspeth dealt the cards and we all counted ours because Elspeth was talking about the sermon at the Presbyterian church and we were sure she had misdealt.
"That new pastor they got is way too young to preach in a church that size," she said, "but those Presbyterians think they're so up and coming! Why, I heard from Matilda Watson over at the grocery store that they are even starting a young people's mission trip to South America! Can you imagine that? I bet they'll probably get Louise's husband to act as their chaperone! Maybe they won't even have a chaperone," Elspeth said, "Hmmmph! Those Presbyterians think they're so up and coming!"
"Don't you go to that Presbyterian church, Elspeth?" I asked.
"Well, I used to. But my Bert says that pastor they have over there is too young to be preaching in a church that size. He says he thinks those Presbyterians are getting a little uppity. He says if they have the time and money to send those young people to South America, they don't need our time and money anymore. By the way, did you know that Matilda Watson was to the doctor the other day? She told me they told her to eat more roughage. She told me that right in the vegetable aisle at the grocery store but do you know what I saw she had in her cart? Well! I can tell you for sure it wasn't roughage!"
There Elspeth went again! Leaning forward over the table and lowering her voice so everyone in the room could hear her. And that darn Dorothy! I do wish she would stop staring!
Elspeth and the bees kept droning on and on and I put the Ace of hearts on the table. There! I thought. Let's see that gabby Elspeth Higginbotham take that trick!