Angelika After being surrounded by nothing but alarming news lately and anxiously waiting all week for the radioactive cloud from Japan, we were looking forward to a bit of a change of pace to celebrate our friend Conny's birthday. We were going to the bowling alley. I had never bowled or played skittles in my life, even though bowling, the American version of skittles, is very popular here as well as in Germany. There are huge bowling centers in many places, and the sport is an integral part of American culture. Birthdays are celebrated at the bowling alley, and bowling is a harmless leisure activity for a first date when both would-be lovebirds are not quite sure where things are headed.
Bowling centers have a considerable number of lanes. Those are rented by the hour, and up to six players can enjoy themselves on one lane. As you all surely know, in the widely popular "Ten Pin Bowling", ten pins (called "bowling pins" here) are arranged in a triangular formation at the end of the lane. Each player tries to knock down as many pins as possible with a relatively large ball that looks more like a globe. Each fallen pin scores one point.
In each round, every player tries to knock down the maximum number of pins with two consecutive throws. After the tenth round, the player with the highest total score wins. If a player knocks down all the pins on the first try with a so-called "strike," they receive bonus points, as the points from the next round count double. If a player knocks down all the pins with two tries, they achieve a "spare." There are various other bonus points for different scenarios, such as when a player scores two consecutive "strikes," but I don't want to bore you with that. As a beginner, I'm already thrilled when the ball rolls straight down the wooden lane and hits the pins, instead of falling into the gutter and rolling past the pins on the side.
The balls have three holes for the thumb, middle finger, and ring finger. At first, I wasn't clear about using the middle finger and always used my index finger, but this technique worked just as well. The bowling center offers balls of varying weights with different hole spacings, allowing players to choose a ball that fits the size of their hand. Finding the right ball is a science in itself.
You are only allowed to play with bowling shoes that have smooth leather soles, not with street shoes, to prevent damage to the lane. The bowling center rents out the shoes for a fee ($4 per pair), and anyone who has ever watched American TV shows closely knows that this is a sensitive topic with enormous comedic potential. In an episode of "King of the Hill," for example, Peggy Hill finds herself in a predicament at the bowling center because she has such large feet and has to request bowling shoes in an absurd size.
I have definitely discovered bowling for myself and, contrary to expectations, I didn't do too badly at it.