Thursday, March 23, 2017

The Magic Kingdom

People have always fascinated me, what with how they act and sometimes the incredible things they do.  I'm of the opinion it runs in the family.  In other words, it's all in how they were raised.  There's no better placer to study the wide variety of human beings than at your local Bingo Resort destination.

We aren't really a resort, just a large room in a one hundred year old building.  The new lights they installed on the ceiling that can change color, do give us the resort Mardi Gras atmosphere however.  This night they were GREEN for good luck.   They can be changed to purple (making for horrible sallow complexions) or even RED.  You can imagine what THAT looks like, right?

It's amazing what people bring with them to the games.  It's all about their level of luck.  Most have a bag of tricks, including eight or more colored ink dobbers.  Never EVER touch their dobbers.  It's bad luck.

Probably half of the players bring good luck charms, from their 21 year old sons socks to marble carved fetishes.  There's feathers, marbles, statues, pieces of yarn, pictures, braided key chains ... you name it and it's spread out on the table.   What they WEAR also comes into play ... I just wish they would WASH it occasionally.

I'm not sure all that stuff works.  The guy who seems to win the most wears nothing more than a T-shirt and cargo pants, carrying only his wallet and his key chain.  As he's buying his cards, people come up and rub his head or his shoulder for good luck.  One lady rubbed more than that and I thought we were going to have to call the police.  In my day, I was taught there was no good luck ... you just worked hard!!  She didn't win in case you were wondering.

We had the usual "don't you DARE touch my cards" people ... it's bad luck you know.  Many pick their cards by their "lucky" number.  Some ask US to pick their cards, which we have to sign in case they win, which means we have to pick their cards NEXT week.

I was a little taken aback when the mother of a 20-year old girl who was run over by a car (on purpose ... she did not survive) showed up two days later to play Bingo.  I stayed home and cried for a week when my little dog passed away.  You just never know how people are going to react.  I never saw a tear.  Makes you wonder, right?
Most people pay cash ... we don't accept checks.  When 75% of them bounce, it's not a good thing.  We have a brand new "mini" credit/debit card machine that once you get the hang of it, works faster than the old one.  Since there are no more food stamps ... debit cards are issued now.   We have several players who gamble away their food budget.  We can't discriminate ... you have a debit card, you can play Bingo.  They laugh about using up the last of their food money ... "those kids will just have to fend for themselves".  I guess living on the ranch with beans and overcooked steak wasn't so bad after all!!

All in all it wasn't a bad night, just another weird one like usual.  I balanced to the penny even though the gal counting said I was over by $100.  After she counted it three times, I stepped in and counted it myself.  Since I've been one of the cashiers, we set up rules .. I count the money IN, only I run the cash register ... YOU count the money OUT.  "WELL!!!  I counted it THREE times already".    Yes, yes you did, but I'm going to count it again.  34 five dollars bills amounted to $170 ... not the $270 she had written down.  

I didn't say a word, although inside I was happy because one, I balanced and two, she is the money counter at a very large business in town.  I've made the same mistake, which is why I counted it for the fourth time.   It's always a good study of human nature at Bingo.  Time to get home to my puppies!!

I made another Instant Pot recipe last night .. it was delicious, but kept me up all night long.  Oh for the days of "I can eat ANYTHING ... NOTHING bothers MY stomach!!"  I'll give you the recipe tomorrow!!




4 comments:

  1. And I thought dealing with the "big banks" was tough.

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    1. I'm sure big banks are a LOT more frustrating, Dave!!! Especially when they are trying to ROB you!!

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  2. Because you want us to be up all night? You're so generous!

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    1. Hahaha Linda ... it's not so much the food, it's that my stomach has become rather picky in it's old age!

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