Set ‘Em Up And Knock ‘Em Down

One of my 6 year old’s best friends from his pre-school years had his 7th birthday party at the local bowling alley. His parents asked him who all he wanted to invite to his party, and he said just his two best friends from pre-school. So it was three 6-year-old boys and two dads (the third dad didn’t stay) on lane #4.

Boys can be so silly. They got so excited with every bowl, by the graphics on the game monitor, by the pizza from the alley concession counter, by just feeding off each other’s excitement. An excited boy with a six-pound bowling ball can be dangerous to everyone around him. It took constant reminders to keep the two waiting boys behind the bowling area while the one whose turn it was handled his ball. They all wanted to be right together, talking about what just happened, what is happening, and what will happen with the ball and pins.

I’m amazed at the strength of the bowling lane floors. We tried to keep the boys from just throwing and dropping their balls on the wood, but still, that floor took constant punishment. And our boys weren’t the only ones pounding the balls on the floor—there was a regular drum beat of balls smashing into the floors from all the other kids in the building that day.

To bowl, each of the boys would carry their ball up to the line and drop, toss, or hurl the ball. Occasionally the ball would roll pretty fast, but most of the time it just meandered down the wood floor, bouncing off the rails blocking the gutters.

One time, my boy threw his ball down the lane in a zig-zag pattern; it bounced off the rails at least half a dozen times, and he still managed to knock down eight pins. He would never watch his ball go down the lane. He’d set it to rolling, and then just turn around and walk away. He was only interested in the act of bowling, and apparently didn’t care too much in the result. He’d have his ball in hand (or sitting on it) before it was his turn to bowl; he was anxious to fling the ball, he just apparently didn’t care too much about watching the pins fall.

I think all three boys enjoyed the reunion, though it wasn’t quite what you’d consider a “party.” There were cupcakes and presents, but it really was just three “old friends” (yes, I realize the humor in this concept regarding 6 year olds) getting together for some old-school silly time.

Bullgrit
bullgrit@totalbullgrit.com