Mondays with Mike: B-I-N-G-O

Every other Wednesday, I head down around the corner for something that’s become a neighborhood ritual.

Bingo.

Seriously, BINGO!

It all started weeks ago when a favorite barkeep at our favorite local (Half Sour) pleaded with us to come in on an upcoming Wednesday evening. Half Sour has big second bar used for special events. That’s where Half Sour’s very first edition of Bingo with Betty would be, he’d be there bartending, and he was afraid that bingo wouldn’t draw any customers.

Well, I couldn’t let him down. It wasn’t mobbed but it wasn’t empty, either. And it was a hoot. One of Half Sour’s owners adopts her alter-ego, Betty, and calls the numbers with flair. “B12,” “my favorite vitamin.” Over time the regular players have absorbed these little tidbits, and they call out with Betty like the people in the audience recite lines during “Rocky Horror Picture Show.” (But none of us throws toast.)

Not even the polar vortex could stop Bingo with Betty. In fact, the place was absolutely packed—I think everyone in the ‘hood had cabin fever.

The prizes are spectacular. Er, unique’s a better word. Our friend Brad donated some exotic, imported-from-Europe…pocket Kleenex packages. There’s lots of things like the leg lamp in “Christmas Story.” But, a bottle of nice wine or liquor always makes the prize roster, as do Half Sour gift certificates (which cannot be used on the same night).

Mind you, it’s not a bingo crowd of blue hairs. No, this is a bingo crowd that looks like America looks! Young, old, straight, gay, black white, well, you get it. It’s rainbow bingo, I guess you could say.

My friend Patrick and I did have a moment early in our bingo careers, though. We’re about the same age. We were sitting and tending to our cards when Pat looked up and said to me, “Michael. Look what’s happened to us!”

I could only laugh.

If you’re in my neighborhood Wednesday, come by, it starts at 7:30.