3-7-10

Back in the day, in the much younger days, I was a kegler. I did like it. I started in elementary school and bowled until early high school, It was a Saturday afternoon activity. Somewhere back in the very old photos, I even have one of me holding a trophy. In college, I was on an inter-mural league and then continued a bit before ever having my younger daughter.

(Kudos to anyone who actually knew was a kegler is. For those of you who didn't go to dictionary.com to look up the word, it means a participant in bowling or ten-pins.)

At any rate, this isn't about a trip down the memory alley (get it), it is more about trying to be a kegler again. One of the gals at the hospital put out one of those all staff emails that asked if any one was interested. And, as weird as it may sound, I was intrigued. Correction - it was more like -why the heck not and I wanted to find out more.

I inquired about cost, etc. Besides the bowling fees, you have the bowling membership. No biggie I thought. Then we found other folks that will bowl or sub. We were set.

Hubby even knew where my bowling bag was. It was old enough that the name tag on it had my maiden name and address. He even helped clean up the bag. I took one look at the bowling shoes and knew they would never in a million and a half years fit now. Then I picked up the bowling ball. Let's just say the fingers are plumper then the last time I bowled. I figured I could make it work though.

Tuesday evening rolled around. I hurried up, got supper and then out the door I went bowling bag in hand.

When our team was there, we got our membership cards signed, figured out a line up. Our one sub even showed up to sign up as well.

Now, it had been forever since I had bowled but these lanes had computerized scoring. Good gravy! That was a switch. Not a bad thing necessarily but it was something new to learn. But in a weird way, the bowling alley was comfortable. It had been years and I had never stepped foot in the local lanes until last Tuesday but it seemed good.

My team put me first in the line up. No biggie expect I threw the ball and got the 7 pin only. I thought to myself what the heck am I doing? But I regained my composure and threw the second ball. Gutter. Ugh.

I decided if I was going to suck at bowling I could have a beverage to salvage the evening. I purchased a cold beverage and at least my taste buds could enjoy the evening. My teammates were doing much better and thank goodness for them.

However, the old slide and follow through started to come back about mid-way into the second game. Game three was better and I was finally figuring out where I needed to throw the ball. In the mean time, my team was still having a very good time, high-fiving their good spares and strikes. About the 7th frame, I threw it too straight and there was a 3-7-10 split. Groan, groan, and double groan.

I thought - go for the 3 and 10. Don't worry about the 7. Won't happen in a bazillion years. Picked up the ball. Concentrated on the 3 pin. Pushed off, swung the arm back, and followed through where I wanted it to go. Boom, rolling, rolling, rolling, and the ball smacked the 3 right on the sweet spot, knocked the 10 and then that 3 popped the 7.

Seriously, I picked up a 3-7-10! Let's just say I was not calm or quiet about it. Didn't matter about that gutter now, I just picked up that split. I didn't care what else happened the rest of the night. I went scooting back to my team table and double high fived everyone!

Yes, I was a kegler again.