Friday Night Bingo

         For twenty years, Helga Jones frequented the bingo hall every Friday for their midnight madness session.  She took her usual seat near the caller and placed her bingo bag on the chair beside her.  Since the death of her husband, Harold, she preferred to sit alone.  Helga opened her bingo bag and set up her station.  She placed the bingo dabbers on the left side of her bingo cards.  On the right side, she placed the antique photo frame with Harold’s picture.



         It had been five years since his death, but she kept the tradition of Friday night bingo alive.  As the evening progressed, Helga continued to dab at her cards.  Not a single bingo.  It had been five years since she had won a penny at that bingo hall, but she vowed to keep going.  Harold had always told her one day they’d win the jackpot. 



         The jackpot round cards were up next.  Helga purchased extra because the jackpot was worth double that night.  The announcer began to call the numbers.  Helga was down to two numbers. 



         “B11,” the announcer called.



         Helga dabbed the square.  She began to get edgy in her seat.



         “O63!”



         She pounded a few cards with coloured circles, but it didn’t give her the bingo she was looking for. 



         “N39!”



         “Bingo,” yelled Helga.



         She did it, she won the jackpot.  Helga fainted from the excitement.  The bingo hall thought she had a heart attack.  When the paramedics showed up, they insisted on taking Helga to the hospital for assessment.  She didn’t care, as long as she could bring the jackpot with her.



Word Count: 267