It's The Time to BINGO !

The clock ticks as the hour hand nudges towards 1800 hrs. We wait as the seconds fly past, so that we can sign-off from a hard day's work. Then goes the hour gong, at the hour - ding ! dong ! ding ! dong ! (in the earlier days it used to be factory blow horn that would signal the end of the working shift).... well, this is the IT-industry and we have evolved. As the clock strikes the last gong, we are already out and gunning for the exit. After all it is 6pm in the evening...

Outside the office premises, we wait anxiously for the shuttle to arrive, sincerely hoping that today will be a lucky day and that the by-lanes will not get jammed by some rookie driver trying to pull a fast one to get home early. The usual scenario is a vehicle barging in from one of the side-lanes, and causing a perfect traffic grid-lock that consists of buses, trucks, autos, rickshaws, cars etc.

Finally the shuttle's start arriving. As we keep a sharp lookout for our shuttle - Route #13, few wonder why shuttle Route#22 is always the first one to arrive (will surely give the guru's of Probability Theory a run for their money!) ? Well, as the rumor goes - this is the route that has esteemed passengers as the building admin, IT support. Now who would like to up against the probability theory !!

Finally, our Route #13 shuttle arrives. We board and pick out our cosy corners. Some starting reading "management" books, others can be overheard attending "client" calls, general gossip on how to bring world peace can be heard and some are lost in their turmoil of thoughts. Mr. X stretches full length on the three seater and dozes off ! If it was a lucky day (for the Route #13 passengers), hot sizzling samosa's or bread-pakora's will be passed around. A whiff of the tempting samosa/pakora's is enough to get anyone hungry ! Well fed with the on-board snacks, the calories now start burning. Well, we did hear Mr. X snoring now !!

Then suddenly a distance voice can be heard "Bingo tickets ! Bingo tickets ! Bingo tickets !". Well, that's Ms. Y marketing bingo tickets. Fortunately there is only one option - buy the ticket or else :-)

That's inside-the-box (bus) marketing ! Thus starts the bingo ticket sale and fund collection. Once the funds are collected the Fund manager and Bingo coordinator (Oxford defiation: someone who is not eyeing the cash prize/saab moh maya hai ;-) are identified.

The prize money is decided and announced. The first full house has a cash prize of Rs 20 and the second full house has a prize of Rs 15. Off course, there are consolation prizes too. These are Rs 10 each for the first-diagonal, first any-row, first any-column and all-corners. The lights dim, lenses are cleaned, seating positions are adjusted. Pencils are sharpened....and the magic gadget makes an entry. Let the Fun begin.....

As the numbers roll out, with bated breath the Route #13 bingo players check the numbers flashing on the screen. Some exult in joy as favourable numbers come up, some give a glazed look as suddenly the numbers start looking Greek-n-Latin (at least not on their ticket) and some curse the ticket Then there are those, who peek at other's tickets and compute their chances of winning the Full House prize.

Then someone shouts 'Row' (well, that effectively means we have a player claiming the consolation prize for first any-row). As the fun proceeds, follow-up shouts echoes of 'Column', 'Diagonal' and finally 'Corners'.

The enthusiasm mounts as everyone now targets for the "Full House" (Rs 20 cash prize). This is the biggest Return On Investments (ROI - 400%) - best returns comparable to even the Switzerland bank. Balls keep rolling out, numbers keep getting cross out, the silence is deafening as folks keep a sharp watch on the Bingo numbers.

Then comes the shout...."BINGO ! BINGO !". A few jealous looks are passed at the winner, as the cash prize is dished out.

But then, all is not lost ! The second Full House is up for grabs. The count down starts again. This time it is a fight to the finish, as this will be the last cash prize and a chance to get a 300% ROI. Then the magic words are heard again..."BINGO ! BINGO !". This time a few looks does say..'well ! there goes my money!' :-)

All in all, a very entertaining game that has Route #13 travellers energized for the next group activity (to be discussed in next blog). Quoting a few lines from something I had read somewhere...

Going to play bingo

Not to do anything-o

To win me some cash

And go home in a flash

So now I can dance-o, sing-o and say Thanks BINGO !

Cheers!