Shooting For My Mark: Ready, Aim, Bowl!
Posted: Monday, December 03, 2007
by Judi Lake
Judi Lake Advertising
“There are several ways to
approach this," he said, bowling ball in hand.
He was already sounding like
a brain surgeon groping for words to explain frontal lobotomies to a layman.
“You can face your pins or you can shoot for your mark," I
heard, certain that an appropriate response was required.
“Face my pins as opposed to standing with my back to them?" I
asked.
“Face your pins as opposed to shooting for your mark," he
condescended.
“Shooting for my mark as in ‘on my mark, get set and go,’ “I
asked him?
“Shooting for your mark as in aiming for your arrow," he
said, with just a hint of panic beginning to creep into his voice.
I’d had no idea bowling
required arrows. I had assumed the only props were a bowling ball and bowling
pins, but now he was telling me the psychology of the game.
I needed to focus, he was
saying. And for the life of me, I had no clue as to what it was a bowler
focuses on.
I could throw a curve ball,
he was telling me. Or, a back-up ball. Or, a straight ball.
It would depend, of course,
on how oily the alley was.
Of course!
“Oily, ally, oily ally, say
that three times fast," I challenged him.
He looked hurt.
I looked fascinated.
Now he was talking about
“courtesy of the lanes." There was obviously a definite pecking order here, I
was realizing. You have to let the other guy go first if he’s already focused.
But, if he gestures that you should go first, it wouldn’t be right not to. But, it wouldn’t actually be wrong
either. You have to judge for yourself.
“And you have to stay out of the gutter," he told me.
“Some things are universal," I told him.
Okay, it was time for the
practical application. I was on my own. Focus time was here. Pins, marks,
arrows, oil, I had to go for it.
I rolled the ball and the
pins fell over, all 10 of them.
He was ecstatic.
What approach had I used?
What had I focused on? What was I thinking as I released the ball? He wanted to
know it all.
“What was going through your mind at that very crucial
instant," he asked?
“The same thing that goes through every woman’s mind when she
bowls," I told him…"do I look fat in these jeans?"
Amazingly funny! Just the other day our family went bowling. I was thinking that same thing, only I decided to do something out of the ordinary and I swayed my hips back and forth really fast knowing my husband was behind me. To my surprise, when I turned around, my daughter's fiance' was staring - wide eyed and shocked! oh well, what's a girl to do..Ha, Teresa! Too funny! What did your daughter's fiance say? ... like you said, "what's a girl to do" -- thanks for making me laugh and hope you're well!
hi judi, you know how to write, babe, and how to capture the writer's attention. everything was right with this story. it was well written, funny, cute, interesting, and not too long. congratulations on your "lucky strike!" best regards, sueGee, Sue, don't know if I know how to write but so many things interest me and I find so much humor in life -- thanks for commenting, miss sue!
Judi, hilarious! I couldn't agree with Teresa and Susan more! You're an excellent writer/storyteller. (Got lucky did you?!?) *laughing*I'll tell you one thing, Avis, that man could have strangled me but I thought everything was so funny! Thanks for commenting and it's good to see you here! I hope you're slowing down enough to enjoy the holidays!
Judi, Well written, full of suspense, and I'll bet those jeans looked fine thank you!Why, thank you, Mr. James! ... I was worried about how I looked in my jeans ... smile!
Judi, nothing is more fun than a family night bowling! Great article, I loved it. Though, when I go bowling, I never worry about how I look in jeans! (smile) Have a great day!Honestly, James, I am really awful at bowling but it is fun, huh? And I bet you look great in your jeans... smile. Thanks for commenting!
Judi...what a hoot! Indeed, women's minds are so facinating! Great piece! -James T.Why thank you Mr. Taylor... I love the word "fascinating" -- it's such a great word! Where've you been? Searchwarp misses your articles! (smile)
What a hoot! Did you ever find out how your jeans looked?No, actually, I did not(!) I wonder if that is a good thing or not... smile. Thanks for commenting, Anon!
if youre as cute in jeans as in your picture then you did great. loved the article.Aw, shucks, Anon, thank you! I am happy you enjoyed this!
Judi, it sounds like a lesson in how to succeed in life. By the way, thats why I don't bowl much anymore, too many corrections. I hope you don't take up Golf, too many coaches in that sport and they are all over the place and it is a lot easier to use a club then throw a ball. All the best and by the way, watch where you line up.All the very best, rtmHi Robert, I never thought of this sounding like a lesson to succeed in life; what a great observation! I have come to accept that I suffer severely with regarding all sports; I am absolutely NOT gifted in that area. Being near-sighted, golf is a challenge because I can't follow those little balls and actually find it a bit boring... I like your approach to golf much better! Thanks so much, Mr. Robert!!
Hi Judi! Andrew, Britt's fiance' didn't say a word. But I'm thinking he liked it better the time he had to pick me up out of the gutter (literally) when I fell (the rest of my family were to busy laughing) the first time he came bowling with us years before this. As you might guess, I'm not very smooth. lol