STRIKE!

It’s been more than 40 years since last I bowled. Yes, I’m talking about throwing that heavy ball (with three finger holes drilled into it) down a wooden lane (Alley) so you can try to knock down ten (wooden?) “Pins.” If you knock all of them over they call it a “Strike,” I guess because you struck them. If you don’t strike them all down, you still get to keep a count of all the pins you did knock down. On each turn you get two tries to knock them all down. If you do so on the second try, they call it a “Spare,” maybe because you are spared the humiliation of missing all the pins.

And so, we shall say, I was strongly encouraged to join the existing league, formed by fellow residents at my 55+ community. Did I mention I have not bowled for over 40 years? I joined, the league started, and I went down with an ankle injury (not from bowling). For two months I was a “Ghost” player who did pretty well. My ghost scores were all over 110 total points per game. I believe 300 is a perfect game.

Dutifully attending the games, on my knee scooter, I cheered the bowlers on. One lady has got to be 90 years old. She is a diminutive, fragile-looking woman. She walks up to the line – the place you throw your ball from. Then she would stop, bend down, and roll her ball forward. You couldn’t be sure if the heavy ball would make it to the end of the line, let alone scare one pin into lying down.

STRIKE!

What? I’m here to tell you, I have seen her do it multiple times. I believe the pins themselves were in shock. Oh, so gently, in a dutiful and respectful manner, they simply lie down.

Anyway, back to me. My first game, using the lightest ball I could find, I copied this master bowler. Unsure how my ankle would act, I bravely walked up to the line, leaned over, and began swinging my arm holding the “kid’s orange” ball. Back and forth, back and forth they swung. Then I let the ball fly. I am reminded of the great golfer, Arnold Palmer, who would swing his club back and forth in practice mode. Then he would “strike” club to ball sending it forward in a straight line. Yep, me and Arnold swinging and sending the ball forward.

My first try was a gutter ball. My second try was a gutter ball. That equals zero points. Low points are good in golf but not good in bowling. No participation trophy awarded here. I am glad that Mr. Palmer did not have to be a witness.

So, now I get to the good stuff, even better than my personal best, so far, of 96 points and counting. The good stuff involves the six teams in this league and the fun we have. We are of a generation who were taught to be our best in school, in sports, and in our individual lives we each had chosen. Now, we high-five all the spares and strikes, even those on the opposing teams. The management says we are their favorite league because we are always happy and laughing. Of course, we are happy. We can still roll the ball down the alley and show those youngsters how to have a good time.

That is worth a “STRIKE” in my book.