From Bingo on April 23, 2026

The captain of a great ocean liner had begun as a cabin boy years earlier and gradually worked up to his high position. He had become one of the most respected men on the high seas. His assistant, who had served with him for years, observed and emulated his every move. But one thing about the captain puzzled him: every morning the skipper went to his cabin, opened the top drawer of his desk, took out a small slip of paper, read it with intense concentration, returned the paper to his desk and locked the drawer.

After many years, the captain retired and his assistant took over command. The first thing he did was open that drawer to discover what was on that slip of paper. The paper had but one sentence on it:  "Port is left; starboard is right."

From Bingo on April 9, 2026

On a foggy night at sea, the ship's captain saw what appeared to be the lights of another ship heading toward him. He instructed his signalman to contact the other ship by signal light. He sent the message, "Change your course ten degrees to the north."

The reply came, "Change your course ten degrees to the south."

The captain responded, "I am a captain. Change your course ten degrees to the north."

Response: "I am a seaman first class. You change your course ten degrees to the south."

The captain was furious. He has his signalman reply, "I am the captain of a battleship. You change your course ten degrees to the north."

Reply: "I am a lighthouse. You change your course ten degrees to the south!"

From the March, 2026 meeting

After the community sing-along at the Seniors' Center, it was time for the star of the show, Harry the Hypnotist! Harry announced that he was about to put the entire audience into a trance. "Yes, each and every one of you, all at the same time," he declared confidently.

The excited chatter faded into silence as Harry carefully withdrew, from his pocket, a beautiful antique gold pocket watch with a delicate chain. "I want you to keep your eyes on this watch," said Harry, holding it high for everyone to see. "It's a very special and valuable timepiece that has been in my family for six generations."

He began to swing the watch gently back and forth while softly chanting, "watch the watch - watch the watch - watch the watch."

The audience grew mesmerized as the watch swayed rhythmically. The lights twinkled as they reflected off its gleaming surface. A hundred and fifty pairs of eyes followed its slow, hypnotic motion. Then suddenly, they were under Harry's control.

However, just as the trance took hold, the chain of the old watch snapped. The beautiful timepiece fell to the stage floor and shattered on impact.

"Crap", said Harry.

It took three days to clean up and sanitize the Senior Citizen's Center, and poor Harry was never invited back again.

From Bingo on March 26, 2026

A man was in his home when a flood came. He refused to evacuate, but climbed up on his roof where the water eventually reached his ankles. Soon a neighbor paddled by in a canoe and shouted, "Can I give you a ride to higher ground?"

"No thanks," said the man. "I have faith in the Lord. I know He will save me."

A bit later, the water was up to his waist.  A man in a rowboat pulled up and hollered, 'Hey! Can I give you a lift out of danger?"

"No thanks," answered the man. "I have faith in the Lord and I know He will save me."

Eventually the man was standing on tiptoe with water up to his neck. A helicopter flew in and dropped a rope. "Grab on," the pilot yelled. "I'll pull you up."

"No thanks," answered the man. "I have faith in the Lord and I know He will save me."

However, after hours of trying to tread water and stay afloat, the poor man drowned and went to meet his Maker.  In heaven, he complained to the Lord. "Tell me, Lord, what happened? I had such great faith in You that You would save me. I don't understand. What went wrong?"

The Lord replied, "I can't understand it either. I sent you two boats and a helicopter!"