Playing The Numbers

Friday night has arrived, and the nachos have been ordered. For some reason or another I cannot play bingo without them. Maybe it's the crunch that makes the occasion, I don't know. Not with the peppers added though. I'm a mild nacho kind of eater. Heard they are good for the sinuses, but can't stand the tongue burn in the meantime.

My fee has been paid, and I've got my sheets lined up for the game. Of course, I've got my favorite colored blotters out, or as I call them, my bingo stampers, to get the job done. They come in so many colors. The shiny ones are especially nice. I prefer the purple ones myself.

You have to have some strong nerves in order to play bingo, especially during the blackout game. As it gets closer to the end, you just know that you are going to win. At least you think that you are going to win. It gets closer and closer. You're down to three numbers left, and then two, and then one. Each time they call another number, you know that yours will be next and you pray that no one else is going to get their last number that is needed. Where they get these other numbers, I'll never know. They just seem to appear out of the woodwork.

The room is so tense you could slice it with a knife, and then boom....You hear someone holler bingo. You're glad for them while at the same time hoping that they made a mistake. Surely they marked a number that was not called and then you could just go on. Not so! The game is over and you hang it all up.....at least until the next bingo night.

And the next bingo night, they do come. I generally play on Friday nights, but if I happen to pop in on Thursday, I'll see many of the same faces. These people are like family. Week after week we pack up our bingo stuff, and know that we will see each other again soon.

My grandmother used to play bingo, and loved every minute of it. And oh, by the way...Bingo is not just the elderly crowd. There are quite a few of the younger ones playing. Of course younger to me nowadays means under 40, so you know what I mean.

Bingo is a national pastime...so I was not surprised when I saw that on Friday nights, ABC is showing a National Bingo Night. You can download you some cards, and off you go. The best part is that if you happen to win, you have until Monday to cash in your card. It's kind of hard to watch the national bingo show while you're out physically playing bingo, but on the other hand, with modern technology, I would assume that it is possible.

As long as we don't holler bingo for the game show, in the middle of the live bingo playing, we'll be okay. If by chance I happen not to make it to the bingo hall on Friday night, I can always flip on the tv and still have some fun. Of course my nachos at home don't taste as good as the ones at the bingo hall. The ladies in the kitchen give it their special touch.

"Let the numbers flow-
Until I can holler bingo."

Mary Elizabeth Rumsey