Decisions, Decisions!

I'm rather bleary eyed this morning, and yawning the moment I got up.  Bingo clashes with my desire to stay on Arizona time, more this year than ever for some weird reason.  My apologies if I fall asleep at the wheel, or computer as the case may be. 

The Magic Kingdom was still there as I snuck in the door.  Even 90 minutes early, peasants are stacking up at the back door waiting for the flood gates to be opened.  If you are a member, you can come in any time by hitting the correct numbers on the padlocked gate.  That allows you to snag your lucky seat.

Everyone else is allowed in at 4:00, but they have to wait in the anteroom until 4:30.  I wouldn't even let them in the building, because this causes SO many problems.  Inevitably, someone walks by and tells them they can come in early, causing a mad panicked rush to the tables.  That brings cries of FOUL from the members, who PAID to come in early every Tuesday.  It's a no-win situation!!  On this day, the pitchforks were out and the cries loud and long, lasting a full hour!!  I try to ignore them.

If I can get it together, I try to open early to calm the natives.  It didn't help.  It was an epic night however ... we had 143 players.  That's a record for this little Castle!  But it also meant we had to shuffle peasants around to get them to fit, meaning they were taking up a square foot of someone else's special space.  I kept the Police Department on speed dial.

Making it even more exciting, I had to train a new volunteer how to count the cards.  Let me just say that two inch fingernails do not make it easy to count flimsy Bingo cards.  

Here's our problem.  Not everyone is honest.  It takes awhile to figure out who has integrity and who doesn't.  We discovered a rat in the woodpile, although we never actually SAW the rat take the cheese.  Instead of throwing them in the fireplace (which would be my choice) their job was changed, putting them under the eagle eye of the Castle Accountant ... ME.  At the end of TWO nights, the cheese has remained intact, although we still have no proof.  It might have been the Castle Cat instead of the Rat.

And so the musical chairs of Castle employees begins as we try to keep everything covered and our money in the til.  It's not the first time, and I'm sure it won't be the last, but come on folks ... you are taking from a CHARITY!!  I guess they think that makes it okay.

The next problem, which has been discussed by the hour, is a Christmas present to each and every Bingo player.  Decisions ... decisions!!  Do we give them $10 each or $5 each?  I voted for five because I'm cheap.  Do we give away food or bingo cards?  From my perspective, everyone wants $5 off their cards so they can buy more pull tabs because that's how gambling works.  

However, I'm the only one who knows how to make the infernal machine account for that, so I suggested it be done next week.  I was overruled by the King who wants to give out coupons with an expiration date on it.  No problem, but can you imagine how many are going to come up to the desk and say

YOU DIDN'T GIVE ME MY COUPON!!!!!

Yes ... at least twenty or more!!  My solution is to have a Knight stand guard for verification.  The King says just staple the receipt, the red ticket and the coupon together.  Okay then ........

And so it goes at the Magic Kingdom of Bingo Castle.  The good news is we made enough money last night to pay for the Christmas presents.  I rather imagine next week will be even better!!!

I'm off for a snooze on the couch and some puppy paralysis!