The holidays are depressing as hell. Major FOMO.
Labor Day is one of the most tolerable. I recall 3 day weekends, not family gatherings or events with friends.
The meal is the second best tray all year, only behind the Thanksgiving one. It’s a double cheeseburger with condiment packets, onions, and tomatoes, which is as gourmet as it gets. That little slice is the only fresh tomato all year.
This year, the holiday bag consisted of a toothpaste, a cheese squeeze bottle, a hot turkey flavored meat stick, and a few cup soups. Everyone was trying to trade for the cheese. I stuck with what I got.
But the biggest distraction all weekend were the holiday games–a half dozen events with “cash” prizes, as long as you finished in the top 3.
Inside the units , there were tournaments for euchre and checkers, plus bingo. The outdoor games included a hockey and soccer shootout. The final event was the 100 yard dash.
In years past, I never participated. At the last joint I was at, there were fewer events, and every single one was fixed. You paid the block rep or rec worker running the game to put your name on the list of winners. Guys would call bingo after three numbers.
I assumed it was the same here. But I played, and won, at bingo on Memorial Day, realizing they ran an honest game. After the 4th of July, I watched guys walk back from the gym, where the prizes were handed out, with damn near half a store bag. I figured I might as well get some of that free money.
There are still some shady dealings, though. The rec events are never announced. Each unit is separated into 3 age brackets, so there are 9 winners. As long as you show up and score, you’ll place in the top 3. Since they’re not announced, however, some brackets have only one or two entrants. The rec workers reap the rewards when no one shows up.
This time around, I signed up for as many events as I could, barring scheduling conflicts. I won in bingo, took third in euchre, and placed first in my age bracket in the hockey shootout. I did have an advantage, though–most black competitors didn’t know how to hold a hockey stick.
The prizes aren’t handed out until two weeks later, so I don’t know what I won. ( I heard 1st place is the expensive toothpaste while 2nd and 3rd would be Dove soap and body wash. Any unique item like the Dove soap fetches a premium resale price.)
Class and work precluded me from the soccer shootout and the100 yard dash. I was completely embarrassed in checkers by the guy who eventually won. In my defense, I hadn’t played since I was 9.
Easy Trouble 