If you’re a bowler, you know how problematic shoes that have lost their ability to slide can be. It can run the gamut from slightly embarrassing (when the toe of your left shoe sticks to the floor and you end up hopping on one foot with your arms flailing at your sides as you attempt to keep your balance), to completely mortifying (when you fly halfway down the alley and land on all fours – in front of your husband’s co-workers, no less).
Now I’m not the world’s best bowler and I’ve never taken it all that seriously. And I certainly don’t concern myself too very much with the “fashion” of bowling. Which explains my 15-year-old bowling shoes. Do you think that could have something to do with why they don’t slide anymore?
In addition to those raggedy-ass shoes, I shamelessly tote around a bowling bag that the good people at Brunswick stopped manufacturing in 1967. Do I need to mention it was a hand-me-down?
Everyone – and I mean everyone – carries a bag like this:
And I sashay in with this:
Okay, perhaps I exaggerate. But just a little.
I finally decided that the sticky shoes had to go, so Mr. Jelly Belly and I headed out to Dick’s Sporting Goods for a new pair. He oh-so-tactfully asked if I might like to get a new bag while we were there. After about one second of thought, I agreed.
The new bag looks like this, only it’s a nice, girly light pink instead of blue:
Quite the improvement, right?
The new shoes were also beautiful (in my non-fashion-conscious opinion) and look similar to this:
And when they engrave the words “Slide Right” right there on the bottom of the shoe, you just know they’re going to slide, well….right. Right?
So off we went to the bowling alley, my confidence level all increased by my new shoes and an of-this-decade bag. And wearing my lucky Hard Rock (Orlando) t-shirt, circa 1998. Baby steps, people. Baby steps.
And all of this just to announce:
I slid my way right into a 209!
In one single game! Wow, was I ever impressed with my 139-average self.
Watch for me on the Women’s Pro Bowling Tour…
Posts
5 comments:
The ant bag is cool because it is so old now that it is vintage. It has bridged the gap, like the difference between a hooptie and a classic car :)
That said, the new stuff is pretty sweet, and a 209 is even better!
Yes, that ant bag was actually selling for $250!!!! I only wish I really had that thing.
I did not know you were a bowler...you are a woman of many mysteries. But what is the fun of bowling without the hideous shoes?
You know, the last time I went bowling, I think it was on New Years' Eve with Joe. I was always a shoe renter, and I used my mom's really ugly ball. Go me. That said, wow, things have come a long way. How many things do you have to bring with you that would necessitate that first bag?
Well, you know, MLM, those men all have to carry two or three balls, depending on the "lane conditions". I have no idea what the difference is. But they have lots of stuff.
Post a Comment