Friday, March 7, 2014

Can Man

Every bingo hall I have ever worked or played at has had their very own Can Man. This is a customer that will go through the trash and dig out empty coke cans every night after the sessions are over. Everyone knows that he collects cans, and most customers will leave their empty coke cans out on the tables for him to pick up once they leave. Well, tonight there was almost a fist fight between our Can Man and a self-proclaimed new Can Man. The new Can Man had been picking up the cans on the weekends, when our Can Man wasn't there. We were very busy tonight and ironically, they were both there. After bingo was over, they both started to go through the trash cans. At first, they didn't see each other because of the general commotion of people leaving and talking after the session. Once they spotted what each other and figured out they were doing the same thing, our Can Man started yelling at the new one!! They proceeded to argue with a conversation going something like this:
"Hey man what are you doing? Those are my cans...I get the cans every night!" - Our Can Man
"No you don't, I do!!!!" - The other Can Man

They started yelling at each other louder and louder and eventually began walking towards each other... we all knew that it wouldn't end well. The New Can Man tried to grab the sack of crushed up cans out of our Can Man's hands and demanded that he give it to him. Our Can Man refused to give them up and they immediately began pushing each other - needless to say, it got really ugly, really quick. Luckily, security was there to intercede, so no one got seriously hurt. So, tonight's message is... maybe it is the little things in life that really matter (for instance, aluminum cans). Just another day at bingo.

Monday, March 3, 2014

Bad Weather

We had to close bingo tonight due to the extreme weather. Some of the employees went into work, including myself because I live very close to the bingo hall. Soon after I went in, the owner was contemplating whether or not to shut down the bingo hall. The roads were totally iced and covered in snow; it was below 20 degrees outside. As we were sitting there waiting on the manager to make the call the phone did not stop ringing! People were coming in two hours earlier than usual just to be there in time for bingo. For our customers, just the thought of the possibility that the bingo hall might close, had all of the players in a complete panic. It's really funny the trouble that players will go to in order to play bingo (see prior post titled Candle Lit Bingo). After we told everyone that no bingo would happen tonight, you would have thought that we committed a felony crime!!! These people WERE NOT happy. However, there were not enough of the crazy ones to play bingo. We will see them all tomorrow night, I'm sure. They love their bingo!! Just another day at bingo.