(Here is the final chapter. This is also the final round for "Lingo.")
Chuck: Welcome back to "Lingo" everybody. Here we go with the final round with Mathew and Sam. You guys just got out front and never looked back. How do you do it?
Sam: Let's just say Mathew has a thing for this show.
Chuck: That is amazing. Okay, here's how the final round works: I'm gonna give you 2 minutes to guess as many 5-letter words as you can and every word you get right earns you a Lingo ball in order to complete your bonus Lingo card for that $5,000 and that fabulous Harrah's vacation package. Stacy is gonna tell you how many bonus letters you got.
Stacy: You got 5 bonus letters, 4 for the number of Lingos you got during the game, and one for winning the game.
Chuck: 5 bonus letters. You're guaranteed to get at least 7 balls. Clock's gonna start as soon as you see the first 2 letters of the word.
Puzzle: Gv
Guava – g-u-a-v-a.
Puzzle: Guava.
Chuck: Yes! You got 1, now go on.
Puzzle: Sk
Sam: Skirt – s-k-i-r-t.
Puzzle: Skirt.
Chuck: You guys are good.
Puzzle: Th.
Sam: Bonus letter.
Puzzle: Toh
Sam: Touch – t-o-u-c-h.
Puzzle: Toch.
Torch – t-o-r-c-h.
Puzzle: Torch.
Chuck: That's 3.
Puzzle: Bi
Bring – b-r-i-n-g.
Puzzle: Bri
Sam: Bribe – b-r-i-b-e.
Puzzle: Brie.
Sam: Bonus letter.
Puzzle: Brie
Brief – b-r-i-e-f.
Puzzle: Brief.
Chuck: That's 4.
Puzzle: Ee
Elegy – e-l-e-g-y.
Puzzle: Elegy.
Chuck: That's 5. 1:00 left.
Puzzle: Pc
Sam: Pluck – p-l-u-c-k.
Puzzle: Pluck.
Chuck: Wow!! 6 already.
Puzzle: Bi
Birds – B-i-r-d-s.
Puzzle: Bis.
Bonus letter.
Puzzle: Bils
Sam: Bills – b-i-l-l-s.
Puzzle: Bills.
Chuck: Great, that's seven.
Puzzle: Qt.
Sam: Quilt – q-u-i-l-t.
Puzzle: Qut.
Sam: Bonus letter.
Puzzle: Quat.
Quart – q-u-a-r-t.
Puzzle: Quart.
Chuck: That's 8. 50 seconds left.
Puzzle: Lu
Sam: Laugh – l-a-u-g-h.
Puzzle: Laugh.
Chuck: Unbelievable. 47 seconds left.
Puzzle: Cb
Sam: Cribs – c-r-i-b-s.
Puzzle: Cbs.
Sam: Bonus letter.
Puzzle: Clbs.
Clubs – c-l-u-b-s.
Puzzle: Clubs.
Chuck: This is amazing. 10 balls, 38 seconds remaining.
Puzzle: Sl
(I think for a moment.) Split – s-p-l-i-t.
Puzzle: Split.
Chuck: Unbelievable. 11 balls and 20 seconds left.
Puzzle: Ur
Sam: Under – u-n-d-e-r.
Puzzle: Uer.
Chuck: 8 seconds left.
Udder – u-d-d-e-r.
Puzzle: Uer.
(Buzzer sounds.)
Chuck: Oh man what were we looking for here?
Puzzle: Ulcer.
Chuck: Ulcer is what we were looking for, but hey, 11 balls, you have a very good chance at getting a Lingo. Let's give you your bonus Lingo card.
Stacy: Here we go, mark off 12 numbers.
Board: 312XX59
XX334861
X17XXX
1015X5369
518415860
Chuck: A 17 will give you $5,000 and that Harrah's vacation package. Who's gonna pull first?
I'll let Sammy pull first.
Sam: Well thank you, Mathew.
(She reaches her hand in hoping to pull out the 17.)
Sam: (pulls out her hand) Oh man 18.
Board: 312XX59
XX334861
X17XXX
1015X5369
5X415860
Chuck: Oh boy, all of that work for a measly 18. Well, you couldn't get that vacation package, but hey, you're still vying for the $5,000, and you got 10 pulls left.
(I reach my hand in and pull it out.) 3.
Board: X12XX59
XX334861
X17XXX
1015X5369
5X415860
Sam: (reaches her hand in, then pulls it back out.) 59.
Board: X12XXX
XX334861
X17XXX
1015X5369
5X415860
Chuck: You're getting close – a 12 or 17 for a Lingo, and you have 8 pulls left.
(I reach my hand in, then pull it back out.) 60.
Board: X12XXX
XX334861
X17XXX
1015X5369
5X4158X
Chuck: Odds are increasing, and you have 7 pulls left.
Sam: (reaches her hand in for a ball, then pulls it back out.) 61.
Board: X12XXX
XX3348X
X17XXX
1015X5369
5X4158X
Chuck: Boy you 2 are getting closer. 6 pulls left.
(I reach my hand in and pull it back out.) 58.
Board: X12XXX
XX3348X
X17XXX
1015X5369
5X41XX
Chuck: 5 pulls left. A 12 will give it to ya, 17, 53, or a 69.
Sam: (reaches her hand in and pulls it back out.) 53.
Chuck: There it is! There's your $5,000 Lingo.
Board: X 12 X X X
X X 33 48 X
X 17 X X X
10 15 X X 69
5 X 41 X X
(Sam and I happily embrace and kiss each other.)
Chuck: Boy I tell ya, you get 11 balls, you get the $5,000, and you come up too short to get that Harrah's vacation package. I really wanted you to get that Harrah's vacation package, but that's the way it goes and you get the money. So what are you 2 gonna do with it?
I don't have the slightest clue.
Sam: Maybe split the money amongst Clover, Alex, Mathew and me.
Chuck: That is so generous of you, Sam.
Stacy: (walks to Chuck) And you 2 make a great team. You 2 are perfect for each other.
Oh thanks, I guess this is your reward for working as hard as you can as a team.
(Everyone, including me and Sam start to laugh.)
Sam: Got that right, Mathew.
Chuck: And remember everybody it's not just letters...
Stacy: It's Lingo.
Chuck: And we'll see you next time. Bye-bye.
THE END
(That's it. No flames allowed in your reviews please. I'll think up another story and send it to as soon as I can. Here's a little something: If I get up to about 16 or 18 reviews, then I just may think about putting up a chapter on what happened after the show, like I did with my "Dog Eat Spy" story. For now, please review.)