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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.

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We talked about the importance of visualizing the pins before throwing the ball.

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We talked about the importance of good technique.

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Alden grabbed the ball, heaved it with all of her failure-to-thrive might, and let it go.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Suddenly she stopped and threw her arms into the air. She had a fantastic idea.

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If she wasn't quite yet able to bowl on her own...

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...then she could help me bowl.

My score suffered somewhat in light of Alden's contribution, but I had a lot of fun.

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And though she likely wouldn't admit it, I think Alden did, too.

Posted by bogenamp at April 9, 2009 09:40 PM