Yesterday, Neil’s cub scout troop reserved several lanes for a few hours of play at our local bowling alley. It’s was the first time we’d been there since its recent remodel, and we were amazed. It was more like a preteen-friendly (yet adult-friendly as well) nightclub than what you’d think of as a bowling alley. The lanes were lit with special lights that made the bowling balls and the pins glow. A delightfully broad variety of music videos played on screens over the bowling lanes. And if bowling wasn’t your thing, there were plenty of other choices, from hanging out in a big comfy lounge area to playing billiards.
But we had come to bowl, and bowl we did. Peter and I organized a game of just the adults. I was doing great until Mike commented on my “fairy prance” bowling style, and I got all self-conscious about it. I guess I do play like a fairy. I approach the lane with a leap, skip and a hop, let the ball go, and as the pins fall, I complete my move with a victory (or sorrow) twirl. Sometimes I’ll even bobble along with a pin that’s threatening to topple, but won’t. Hey, it works for me! When I tried just rolling out the ball like a guy, I fell down and the ball rolled right into the gutter. I had to accept the fairy inside in order to get my game back.