July 2011
'Eyes down, look in!' shouted the caller. Doris quickly scanned her six dockets and assured herself that her lucky marker was in place.
She went to Bingo three times a week and invested ten pounds a time so she knew that one day there would be a really good win and today was the day, she could feel it in her water.
It was a treat to sit with her friends away from all the boring chores at home. The washing machine was a problem this morning. It was getting old and when the last spin started you had to almost sit on it to prevent it careering all over the kitchen. If she had a good win today she would buy another one and a dryer to save her running in and out of the garden.
She started going to Bingo to make some friends, but with six cards on the go she seldom had time to look up, let alone talk to others. There was one mate she had made and had a cup of tea with afterwards. She was trying to slim but the stress of playing and not missing a number usually meant a cream bun was needed as well.
Flo was alright, they shared many a moan about their spouses. The kids were grown and away now and the two girls felt they were entitled to have some fun, but Flo's husband thought she shouldn't waste their money gambling.
Bert, Doris' old man, didn't seem to mind her going; anything to keep her out of his hair. He didn't even mind her going on a holiday, five days on a coach to a camp. High class it was and they were taken to a different Bingo hall each day.
It seemed strange at first as the Bingo hall was a cinema that Dolly and Bert used to go to when they were courting. Films were lovely, they made you feel you were in another world and so popular there was always a queue to get in; and when you did make it you still had to queue inside until seats became available. They went in the middle of a film but made up for it by watching it around to the end again. 'Course, you had to be out directly the film finished or you had to wait and stand for the Queen, then there would be a rush for the bus.
Doris had always dreamt that love lasted and it would be all magic when they got married, but of course with three kids around, the glory faded a bit, and Bert didn't look like Tyrone Power any more when he started to lose his hair. Still, to be fair, she didn't resemble Doris Day either now, but she did keep smart and have her hair cut and dyed on a regular basis.
'Legs eleven – two fat ladies,' she was getting close on two of the cards and her excitement built – would it be today, her lucky day.
'House!' she had done it.
The excitement made her feel light headed and she thought I will have to stop gambling, it is making me ill. With this win I won't ever go gambling again.
She had a lovely holiday at Las Vegas with her winnings.