Your mom and I spent several years living with Grandpa George and Nana. I'm sure there were many tense moments but somehow everybody survived and everything turned out okay.
Grandpa George got to spend Sunday afternoons putting up with me and the Green Bay Packers. One uneventful afternoon we decided to go bowling and I'm sure I told him I'd whip his butt. He wasn't used to such banter, but it didn't take long before he was going to teach his bragging son-in-law a lesson.
Grandpa was strong with large hands. He threw a straight ball that sometimes backed up on the alley. Needless to say, he was inconsistent and I did whip his butt. He saw the hook ball that I threw and how it blew pins out if I got near the pocket. He began to ask questions about how to bend the bowling ball. I showed him how to pick a spot on the alley and lift the ball as his hand came out of the drilled holes. It was amazing because he picked up the lifting idea really fast and when he began to hit the right spot on the alley, it would blast the ten pins back into the pit. With his strength, speed and lift it was exciting to watch. Eventually he started throwing consecutive strikes and 200 games were common.
George had never been a big fan of bowling but now it became fun. Plymouth Sheet and Metal began sponsoring a team in a league at Casey Jones Lanes in Plymouth and for 5-6 years they had a hard throwing, beer drinking team of bowlers. I know they won several championships and celebrated with year end parties. George talked most about stringing lots of strikes together. I don't remember his average per game but there were lots of 200's in league.
Bowling gave George and I a common ground and it was a source of constant banter. For a little while, a few special years, George could bowl against anyone.
I do remember George's first few "hooking strikes". At first he was amazed at being able to power the pins out. Later he began to expect it. I remember thinking to myself "by golly, I think he's got it".
Christopher knows how to throw a hook and blast pins and son Collin is working on it. They bowl Saturdays in a father-son league.
So the magic continues. For Grandpa, it was never to late to learn a new technique. For Christopher, it was learning technique early. For Collin, he will beat his Dad someday.
And for me, on any day, any place I can or could whip all their asses!
My lesson for today would be that sometimes the most precious things in life cost very little. It is amazing what a hooking bowling ball can do.
Love,
Dad