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April 09, 2009
Bowling
A few nights ago, we took Alden to Baltimore for my office bowling party.
After the various grownups had bowled a few games, I gave Alden her first lesson.
We talked about the importance of visualizing the pins before throwing the ball.
We talked about the importance of good technique.
Alden grabbed the ball, heaved it with all of her failure-to-thrive might, and let it go.
The ball went further than either one of us expected that it would.
Unfortunately, I hat forgotten to teach her about bowling etiquette, especially the part about not crawling after one's ball as it makes its way down the lane.
Alden followed her ball until it lost steam and dribbled haplessly into the gutter. It was with great dismay that she realized than she had failed to knock down a single pin.
I explained that, as a weak and undersized baby, she should feel good about having moved the ball at all and that she had years to refine her game. I told her I was confident that she would become a passable bowler someday. But nothing could cheer her. Dejected, she crawled back down the gutter.
Suddenly she stopped and threw her arms into the air. She had a fantastic idea.
If she wasn't quite yet able to bowl on her own...
...then she could help me bowl.
My score suffered somewhat in light of Alden's contribution, but I had a lot of fun.
And though she likely wouldn't admit it, I think Alden did, too.
Posted by bogenamp at April 9, 2009 09:40 PM