by Emma Willey

Created on: August 15, 2008   Last Updated: November 05, 2009

Bingo Night

Some of the elderly people at the retirement home look forward to Bingo night once a week. When I first moved here I thought it would be great fun. The first night I showed up to play, when I sat down in a chair to play I was quickly told that was someone else's place. This happened three times in a row. I began to think I must not smell good or they didn't like the way I looked.

, "Here, Emma, you can sit here tonight. George isn't coming tonight anyway." Esther, the Activity Director noticed my predicament. I sat down and played Bingo for an hour and won a couple of times. So far, so good. But the next time I came to play Bingo, each time I yelled Bingo, I heard groans all around the room. I thought it would be nice if they would congratulate me instead. Their groans took the joy out of winning. I dint like their attitude.

I came back again the next week, determined to make this game fun as it's supposed to be. I learned some people come early to make sure they get the cards with the right numbers and if you get the ones they want, they are unhappy. I don't know if that helps them that much because I don't see them win all the time. I can finally squeeze in and pick up a couple of cards. I have played enough Bingo to know there are no magic numbers so I just grab a couple and hope somebody doesn't get mad at me for taking his favorite cards.

I finally decide these people aren't here for fun, that's plain to see. I'm getting to the place I don't want to win the jackpot because I hate to think what they might do to me if I haul away all the money. They play only for an hour and half the time is used by the director to tell jokes and stories and visit with some of the residents about other things. I guess I'll just save my quarters and spend them on something I enjoy a whole lot more than fighting for a chair to sit in every time I show up to play Bingo. And I won't have to listen to a bunch of people groan if I happen to win occasionally. I think I can find better ways to spend my time and have some fun in the process.

The End

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