Crackers

Family night was bingo at the casino. Those of you that know me well know this a really hard task for me.  The challenging task of the messy daubers, the constant required focus and the relentless competition all stress me beyond belief. Last night was certainly challenge with one exception.

I sat next to an elderly women named Marianne. Per usual, I immediately introduced myself engaging her in conversation much to the embarrassment of my son. She was sweet lady complete with good luck charms and a bag full of supplies for the evening. Of course I had nothing, no pen, no dauber, no bag of tricks, basically roughing it bingo. The thought of three grueling hours of listening, searching and focus immediately increased my anxiety level. Little did I know that I was in for a lesson from Marianne.

There she was in her Halloween print sweatshirt slurping on soup and crackers.

She quickly said, “If your going to get soup, you should go to that vendor as she pointed across the room.”

“She continued, they will give you 5 packages of crackers not just 2.”  “I told the other vendor they should to get there act together and give more crackers like the other one or not one is buying your soup.”

As I struggled to organize the bingo cards, she said:

“Hey big fella, listen up this is what you do, pay close attention.”

She instructed: “You need to pull all the bingo cards apart and get them organized before the game starts.”

“I want you too keep your eye on the screen, not listen to the number calling, your behind when you do that.”

She pulls out a sharpie marker, a roll of scotch tape and a staple remover and a pencil box. In less than 15 seconds she organizes my bingo play cards.

Let the games begin, I thought as the man in booth started calling the numbers.

Now usually by the second of 29 cards, I have completely spaced out. I fill the space talking and most likely annoying all those around me. But last night was very different, because Marianne had determination to keep me focused. If I missed a number she would call it out. If I was spacing she yelled for me to watch the board.

At one point she said: “Honey, on bingo nights you need to take 3 fish oils, like me it sharpens my focus.”

As you can imagine as I am writing this blog, we did not win big. We did however laugh hysterically all the way home from the casino last night.

I guess the lesson I learned from Marianne was if you are here to play bingo, then play bingo. Give the task your all, be in the moment, be focused and enjoy what you are doing at the time for all it is worth.

But never get screwed on getting all the free saltines crackers you deserve.