Let’s Go Bowling

We went bowling the other night. Me, Fuat, his sister Menekse, our friends Nate and Gizem… and Kerrie.

I was standing on the lane, picking up my bowling ball (with the hand that hasn’t had surgery yet) and I heard Kerrie’s voice saying “Let’s go bowling”

 We were in elementary school, I think Kerrie was maybe in the 1st or 2nd grade, and we were driving by the Union Lake Bowling Alley and Kerrie was pleading with Mom and Dad, “Let’s go bowling”.

Kerrie was on a kids bowling league, and was pretty good, I tried it a few times and WOW was I bad. The first time I bowled I was lucky to hit 13 points. Kerrie was my bowling champion, but she drove me crazy with always wanting to go bowling.

I think we were camping in Alpena, or maybe we were up in Marquette that time, and it was raining. We were driving through a small town, on the way to see the basketball movie “One on One” with Robbie Benson. I remember the small town, I remember the brick buildings and driving by the bowling alley.. “Let’s go bowling!”  Uggh.. Kerrie.. just stop with the bowling. I am sure that was what was in my head.

We were bored, it was summer.. I wanted to go swimming. “Let’s go bowling”. We were in High School, it was the weekend, I wanted to go out dancing with my friends.. “Let’s go bowling.”  We were working at a music camp in Muskegoen.. it was our ONE night off from being camp counselors and we were allowed to leave the camp for a few hours…. Yes… She said it every time.. “Let’s go bowling!”  We worked at Cedar Point, and it was our day off… “Let’s go bowling!”

She alwasy wanted to go bowling.. always.

She came to visit me, in Ohio, on May 5th, 2006. This was only two months before she was diagnosed… and yes, she wanted to go bowling. We went to a bowling alley, but I wouldn’t bowl. We sat in the bar and sang Karaoke instead.

I think I can only remember bowling with my beautiful sister two or three times ever and I think we were really young. I wish we had gone more. I am a horrible bowler, but find it fun sometimes.. and I am sure I would have had a lot of fun bowling with Kerrie.

 So, as I stood there staring at the bowling ball in my hand, hearing Kerrie’s voice saying “let’s go bowling” I was fighting back the tears that are always there.. just on the verge of coming out. I looked at the ball and said, “Yes Kerrie… let’s go bowling.” 

I got a strike.