Sometimes You Lose - Bingo That Is

First off, thank you everyone for the name suggestions.  I love them!!!  If everything went okay, the Title Company should close today, then it's celebration time!!  Not that I can celebrate much with the puppies ... they are NOT party animals ... but I'll think of something!!  I've still not caught up on my sleep from Morgan Hill, the Elks, the Elks again and now Bingo night.  Try as I might, once I'm awake, I'm awake, so the puppies and I just cuddled on the couch.

As much as I tried to ignore it was Magic Kingdom night, it refused to go away, so off I went with a good heart and a smile, hoping for the best.  I should have known something was up when I arrived at the Sky Lounge for my usual please-keep-me-awake Coke, because by 4:00, I'm always yawning and ready to hit the hay.

There sat Prince Charming and only one other person.  This place is usually hopping!!  It was then that I met Frank.  Frank is a 97 year old World War II veteran who was at Pearl Harbor.  Obviously he survived, but only by the skin of his teeth when he was thrown into an airplane as a tail gunner (his first ride ever) as they flew towards Australia.  Right off the bat, the wing was shot off the airplane and they crashed into shark infested waters.  Two hours later, a PT boat picked them up.

He has stories you can't believe.  An interesting coincidence, he knows the area around Tucson and Benson well since he was born and raised there.  More stories include his brother who was one of the original men who carried the flag to the top of the hill in Iwo Jima ... one of the men who didn't get credit for it when it was staged later for the photo and monument.  

I immediately mentioned getting these stories on tape ... I'll bring the recorder.  Frank said yes.  He likes the girls, even if they are MY age.  Hopefully I can capture some of these amazing true life stories.  He has a lifetime of them.  

Eventually I headed off downstairs to work, still with a smile on my face.  Frank was funny!!  He has a great sense of humor, especially since he professes to be Apache Indian.  Good I said ... we'll be cowboy(girl) and Indian!!

I should have known it wouldn't go well when no one showed up to work the Bingo room.  We normally have four or five guys floating around selling pull tabs and Bonanza tickets (one of our games).  We depend on the men to keep us safe and sane.  Too bad it doesn't rub off on the peasants, as they immediately got into a big argument at our table, with pushing and shoving trying to get the PERFECT Bingo card ... the WINNER!!  That never happens, the winning part, but they fight over them anyway.  Is it a full moon or something?

Here's the main problem ... if you win, you have to yell LOUDLY.  I know I've mentioned this before. We not only mention it, we state it LOUDLY at the beginning of the game.  Bingo machines make noise.  If you don't yell, the caller can't hear and calls the next number.  That means you lose and that means there's a screaming mad peasant on the loose.  We have a duck and run policy for that.

It didn't help that there were only TWO men on the floor, who also can't hear well.  Face it, we're old and the first thing that went south was our hearing.  So when the lady didn't get her payoff, she got so mad she cleared the table of all the food, drinks and bingo cards she had, making a huge mess on the carpeted floor.  The King jumped on her immediately, escorted her to the door and told her to never return.  That bodes badly for those of us who have to walk to our vehicles where she may be hiding!!!  No, I'm not kidding.  We required an escort.

But that wasn't the only reason ... our little upstairs bartender, blond, covered with tattoos and a sweetheart who never wears enough clothes to keep her warm, was accosted in the parking lot as she stepped out for a smoke.  Instead of running, she froze like a deer in the headlights.  Lucky for her, one of our guys went out for a smoke too and chased him off.  Good grief ... it MUST be a full moon!!

At long last the night was over, but we closed up a tad too soon and change was required, sending everyone into a tizzy ... an angry tizzy.  I dipped into the "tip" box quickly for change.  I can't blame them ... it was a rough night with no help to corral the angry peasants.  Probably one of the worst nights we've had.  With an armed escort ... yes, really ... we walked to our cars, locked the doors and got out of Dodge.  Thank goodness THAT'S over with!!

While downloading some stuff yesterday,  I discovered one picture I forgot to post of Tammy and I having lunch at the Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite.  This was before the drenching mist from the falls!!

Although it's cool and beautiful this morning, a lovely 54 degrees outside, it's supposed to be 97 by Saturday, so I'll be gearing up for warmer weather.  Mostly I'll be packing the rig with everything I can think of that will fit.    It's not official yet, but we're close ...... very close .... to closing on my Arizona house!!