When I was little I spent many weekends at my Grandparents farm west of Houston. Before video games and cable TV it was challenging to find activities to occupy a restless young boy who was temporarily removed from his familiar playful surroundings of home. However, my Grandparents did their best with what they had to offer such as farm chores, fishing, hunting, trapping, card and board games.
Now all those may sound a little on the rural side but it filled the days and evenings quite well and made my time away from home enjoyable. Now that I’m all grown up I’ve discovered that one of the activities I use to enjoy as a boy out on the farm is growing in popularity in the ‘big city†as my Grandparents like to call it. What’s made it way from the country side into the inner-loop of Houston? BINGO! 
That’s right, it appears the 16th century board game is making a come-back in the inner city and gaining in popularity among the younger generation. In the past, when I thought of Bingo I pictured my Grandparents sitting around with a bunch of farmers on a Monday night starring at a Bingo board. Now that I look back with adult eyes I now see a different picture. There was the social relevance the event had for my Grandparents but not only that, there was alcohol involved. What a shocker!!
The younger folks have latched on to this low budget gambling happy hour and made it their own. Bingo halls have gained in popularity and are selling out the tables. No matter what the appeal; socializing, cheap beer, minimal loss gambling or generous BYOB policies. Everyone will find the game of Bingo as good as reason as any to get out of the house and mingle.
So if some rainy evening you find you’re sitting around the house wondering how you might stop yourself from going insane from absolute boredom, escape to the slightly less than boring bingo hall. Who knows, you may find yourself screaming out BINGO!!!
I feel like we need to coordinate a Schipul bingo night…