Saturday, November 27, 2010

Life, the Universe and Everything


Safe haven
Montreal, QC, August 2010
About this photo: We're sharing sepia-toned pictures as part of this week's Thematic. Go here to share yours, or here to learn how the whole thing works. Or just read on if you're in the mood to be amused.
You don't see public lockers too often these days. Security concerns - thanks, Osama - have prompted places like airports and shopping malls to pull them out. Which means we're rapidly running out of places to store the burgeoning piles of stuff we inevitably accumulate when we're out and about.

Bowling alleys are, somewhat interestingly, exempt from this trend. I'm thinking the average cave-dwelling terrorist doesn't curse the Brunswick name at least once every waking moment, and hasn't identified these temples of childhood and post-retiree recreation as worthwhile targets of misplaced, hatred-driven opportunity.

Which is just as well, because places like this are interesting throwbacks to a simpler time*, and I'd hate to think of a world without strikes, spares, gutter balls and really cheesy-looking shirts. It strangely brings me comfort to know bowling alleys continue to survive and thrive.

Your turn: It's easy to dismiss bowling as a ridiculously stupid pastime. Throw a ball down a lane; knock down some pins; repeat. But I suspect there's more to it than that. What's its appeal, then?

One more thing: Why 42? I didn't even realize its significance until I composed the shot. Once I did, I had a good laugh. Which made total strangers look up and furrow their brows in my general direction. I hope fans of the late Douglas Adams enjoy the numeric reference.

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* Disclosure: My mother dragged my very young self to her bowling league at a place in Chomedey known, then as now, as the Recreatheque. To this day, walking into any bowling alley ignites memories of sitting on the creaky, two-toned plastic seats while the ladies clucked around me in between frames. I took this picture, as an adult, as my wife and kids watched my now-retired mother bowl with her league. It was a good day, and definitely a circle of life-type moment.

14 comments:

Kalei's Best Friend said...

I think the appeal is that even the best bowler will miss and the lousiest one will get that strike. U just never know and that's the fun of it. :-)

Jim said...

Bowling? The sport of kings! Ten pin, duckpin, or candlestick. League, open or disco bowl - oh the choices. That and you get to throw a big ball down the the wooden floor as hard as you want to try and make the pins explode. And you thought it was a finesse game.
Like the sepia subject, it does send me back in time a little.
(By the way, you made that 42 clue a little too easy.)

that guy said...

funny the 42 reference...

bowling is the one game that i only play drunk, cuz i cannot seem to roll a strike sober...

my mom, who was in a bowling league for years, says i am overthinking every roll...

dang! i hate it when she is right...

Bruce
bruce johnson jadip
and
stupid stuff i see and hear

The Gearheads said...

This theme surely is about looking back, this does bring back memories of the airport trips I would make back in the day when my grandma would always sit in the smoking section and I could meet her on the tarmac. Thanks.

Here is my sepia, the read my be more interesting than the photos

http://the-gearheads.blogspot.com/2010/11/photo-125-sepia-end-of-era.html

Rosaria Williams said...

I don't know how you landed on my planet, but you left a calling card, and here I am returning the visit.
Bowling? Do people still bowl? This takes me back to first dates at bowling alleys.

Chibi Janine said...

I found bowling a great stress reliever when I was younger I would imagine those little pin as all sorts of people who were giving me grief. Now its just for fun.

srp said...

We had one in our little western PA town and it was the place to go.. I kid you not... it was really the ONLY place for teenagers to go to keep out of trouble. It was a two story thing with lanes on both floors. We always liked to get the top floor because sometimes they would simply forget about us and we would play on and on until they told us to go home. Of course, those were the days before cell phones so parents were often upset when we did get home.

21 Wits said...

For me it's mostly all about who you bowl with. Leagues are fun for many, I was on one once, that's was enough for me. But it's more about having fun to me one bowling date at a time!

Nancy said...

It's all about the beer. :)

Paulineee said...

What's the appeal? The league more than the bowling itself. See the article Bowling Alone which later became a book of the same name.

Leagues still exist in Chomedey. I know, I help run one, similar to your mother's. We were at the Rec until a couple of years ago when we moved to the "440" down the road. If you're ever in town on a Wednesday afternoon we'd be happy to cluck over you once again.

I don't think I ever bowled with your mom but I knew your dad a bit from community activities.

It's all about the social engagement.

Mustang Sally said...

I love the shot, though to be truthful I would have taken it just because of the 42. It's the answer to everything don't ya know? :)

Serendipity said...

Bowling is fun if everyone around you is competitive 'cause the harder you try, more you're prone to make mistakes. Getting 'x' to your score card is a small step but definitely a proud moment.

Prettypics123 said...

Carmi, You're one of my favorite bloggers! I've awarded you the Versatile Blogger Award and linked with you on Levonne's Pretty Pics.

Tulsa Courthouse said...

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