BINGO

 I grew up in a Catholic family, attended a Catholic Church and school in Norwood.  The Church was large and sat on a nice spacious piece of property.  The school was a two-story eight-room brick building with a basement set up as a lunch hall/auditorium with stage.  Boys and girls bathrooms flanked each side of that lower level.  In addition, a large kitchen was in a corner but it was never used for cooking lunches while I was there.  

This school sat on a large piece of property which, when I started there, included a recess/play area and, at one time, a ball field.  At some time in the 1950s, the play ground was paved for round-the-year use.

The school property also included a huge one level building which was known as the 'bingo hall'.  The bingo hall may have been 200 feet square or larger.  It included a kitchen, a bingo callers elevated booth, and two bar or drink dispenser areas.  Once in a while the building was rented for large parties, dances and such but mostly it was used for bingo.  The hall was so large that it had four or five microphones located appropriately for bingo call-back.  For some years, they had two bingo nights per week.  

My mother and grandmother were devoted players as far back as I can remember.  Mom went there to play for fifty years or so.  In his later years, my dad was drafted to help sell cards, drinks or to call numbers.  (I was even coerced to be a caller a few times.  Mom was so proud that I knew all my numbers)

In my mother's later years, she was in a nursing home in Mariemont.  During my visits, my mother often remarked how she loved that they played bingo in the home several days per week.  She was always proud that she won;  they played for pennies.  

One day, I was there when it was time for bingo so I joined the group.  They had a special room, glass enclosed, that reminded me of a business conference room.  They all sat around the 'conference table' and were given one card.  I didn't play but was an active observer.  There may have been about 10 people, mostly ladies, playing.  Amazing!  My mom did win.  At least she did until I started helping the other players cover their numbers.  Of the ten players, only a couple were 'with it' enough to play.  No wonder my mom won all the time.  Bingo!

I get a kick out of that memory.