Today a group of us went bowling. I didn’t expect to see a bunch of women leagues first thing on a Tuesday morning. These guys were fantastic and I’m so glad I was bowling on the opposite side of the building.
The leagues names were fun, too. PIN PALS, ALLEY CATS, and my favorite, BOWLED AND BEAUTIFUL.
Bowling sure has changed since I was a kid. In my book Ex, Why and Me, the bowling alley was inspired by the one I went to in the basement of an old Turner building. It was loud, dark, and the equipment was ancient The machines were brown and orange, all of the bowling balls were black, and the place smelled of junk food and cigarettes. I took bowling lessons there–yes, my mother made me–and to this day I have to take four steps before releasing the ball.
The bowling alley I went today had 80’s music blaring, and I’m told they do the disco lights and other fun things in the evening. There were bowling balls in all colors, and you’re not allowed to eat, drink or chew gum anywhere near the alley. That’s not anything like the bowling alley I went to as a kid. Or the one I went to when I visited Karachi some twenty years ago. A bunch of us went to this ‘new’ bowling alley and it looked like the one back home–until I realized that there were men sitting slightly above the pins and they would pick up the downed pins between each game.
And believe me, they shouldn’t have worn white kurta shalwars, because one of the guys bowling with me mistook a employee’s leg for a pin. The employee moved fast, thankfully.
Thinking about all the places I’ve bowled, one would think I had a great average. Ha! One of these days I’ll get the score above 100. But I’m not holding my breath on that.
