Returning home after walking the dogs, my wife yelled out ‘Joel, don’t forget that tonight is your bowling league.’
Bowling league is a great men’ night out. A time when men can get together and not have to be on their best behavior. It is great to be enveloped in an ocean of testosterone, adrenalin and man-talk. We talk about sports, politics, wives, hunting, fishing, home improvements, cars, guns, tools and hunting dogs. And in the midst of all of this verbal jousting, we get to bowl. I can’t wait till tonight. But I am tired; I think I’ll take a short nap.
I sat down in my ‘Comfy Chair’ getting ready for my snooze, pondering who invented the game of bowling, and drifted off to a deep sleep. I fell rapidly through all of the REM stages, felt a little groggy, dreamed I opened my eyes and once again I found myself sitting on a grassy savanna, this could only mean one thing ‘Time Travel! I transported back in time and was standing near a cave during the caveman days.
Of course I’m always invisible when I time travel. I saw my old caveman friends, Ugg & Ogg standing by their campfire. The fire was very bright to keep prehistoric predators away. I noticed that Ogg held a large round rock in his hand, and then he threw it and it rolled toward several pieces of wood. He knocked down half of the wood, retrieved the round stone, and threw it again knocking down the rest of the wood. After seeing what he accomplished, Ogg then let out a yell and pounded his chest as he jumped around.
I felt that I had observed that behavior somewhere else, why yes it was at my bowling league.
Then Ugg & Ogg walked over to a large bowl that seemed to smell of beer or some type of grog. They imbibed, talked to each other in some sort of grunting caveman language. Then they made a loud laughing sound and patted each other on their hairy backs.
The earliest known forms of bowling date to ancient Egypt, remnants of balls used at the time were found among artifacts dating back to 3200 BC, a few hundred years after Ugg & Ogg’ first game. Bowling has been played through the ages, in many countries throughout the world. The immigrants from Holland and Great Britain brought their version of the game to America some time around the eighteen hundreds.
I don’t know if they were legal or illegal immigrants, or if back then that was even an issue, but I am sure glad they came and brought bowling with them to America so that we can enjoy bowling today.
Bowling is a great form of exercise, for every two games you bowl, it the equivalent of walking three miles. You can lose weight by bowling! Depending on what food & beverages you consume.
Today there is no smoking in the bowling centers, and many serve healthy food choices. Your score is not important because they invented the handicap to make it fair for average bowlers to compete with great bowlers. I’m almost an average bowler!
I heard a noise and abruptly traveled forward in time to the present. It was my wife retrieving my bowling ball out of the closet.
She said ‘Joel, you need to get going, you don’t want to be late for your bowling league tonight.’
Yep, I don’t want to be late and she has plans for a night out with the ladies! We bowl together in a mixed league on another night. Bowling is truly a great family activity, anyone can bowl.
‘Remember, every day is a gift! Some are just a little more fun to open than others. – Joel
Author of: ‘The Guinea Pig In The Freezer’. joelmvernier@aol.com
joelmvernier@aol.com -¬ Joel M. Vernier January 29, 18
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