Tonight we went to a BINGO game at our community center. I didn't want to go -- I really don't like playing games -- but my neighbor who runs a local Century 21 office asked us to come because his company was sponsoring it, so we went.
I think the last time I played BINGO I must have been 11 or 12. I knew the general rules, but I didn't know these variations. For example, in one game, the person who was the last one whose card didn't have any of the numbers that were called won the prize.
There were probably about 120 people in attendance and the atmosphere was very congenial. People clapped for the winners the way the audience claps on tv game shows.
My husband and I knew some of the people at our table, one couple that lives across the street and a couple of guys that my husband plays poker with.
I don't like BINGO and I wished that I could be doing something else instead of going, but I thought it would be a good idea to show our faces once in awhile at these community events. I realized once we were there why I don't like BINGO -- it's a game where you have to concentrate and to me that's a lot like work.
As we played, I thought about why everybody else there liked BINGO. It requires concentration, which I guess most people enjoy. You feel like you're accomplishing something because even if you don't win, you're still marking off some of the spots on your card.
There's the feeling of anticipation that you might win. You think about what you would do if you won one of the prizes. Tonight's prizes:
$50 gift card to Bed Bath and Beyond -- I wondered, would they let us use our 20% off coupon with the gift card
$50 gift card to Home Depot -- we all have projects to do around the house
$50 gift card to Target -- there was the blouse I was thinking about getting. Or something for my nephew's birthday.
$50 gift card to Pottery Barn -- as my husband commented, we'd end up spending $200 to use a $50 gift card, so let's hope we don't win that round. Or I guess we could give it to my daughter-in-law if we won, she likes Pottery Barn.
There's the feeling of camaraderie you develop with the rest of the audience, even if you don't already know them. People at your table are always eager to help you if you don't know what you're doing. When someone at your table wins, you feel like your team won, even though only that person gets the prize.
At one point, as we were all waiting for the next number to be called with the tense anticipation exhibited by Mission Control in Apollo 13, it hit me: We should use BINGO to get people enthused about voting for Democrats.
Even though BINGO doesn't appeal to me, it appeals to a lot of people. Mainstream people. People who don't want things to be too complicated, who might not be interested in a lot of political discussion.
I have no illusions that BINGO will turn republicans into democrats. But what it could do it to create a feeling of camaraderie in people. If the OFA or local democratic party hosted a community BINGO night and sent out invitations to people who are registered democrats, and offered prizes and snacks, maybe people who ordinarily wouldn't attend political events would come. And after a night of BINGO, that feeling of camaraderie might be created. Faces would become more familiar.
There needn't/shouldn't be a lot of politiking going on, but some subtle things that would make it worthwhile. For example, local democratic candidates could be the ones to call the numbers. There could be information passed out about making sure you have the proper ID for voting in your state. Buttons and bumper stickers could be made available.
By the way, we didn't win tonight. But I have to admit, I am a lot more inclined to use my neighbor if we ever decide to sell our house.