Sunday, October 30, 2011

The Bowling Ball

B"H

And the World Keeps Turning


Etti and Jerry have been married for sixty years.  ...

Jerry:  What's that? (He points to an egg shaped case, very sturdily made, with two strong handles.)

Etti:  Mary's bowling ball.

J:  Why is it in our car?

E:  They were tearing down the bowling alley, so we all went to pick up our balls.  No one could reach Mary.  We had to clear out our lockers.  So, we took her stuff, too.  The building is down already.  I figure that I'll catch up with Mary pretty soon.  But, I am worried.  Whenever I leave a message on her answering machine she always gets back to me.  Or ... if not Mary, then her aide will give me a call.  But we've heard nothing.    No one knows what's going on.  Who knows what her kids are doing with her? 

J:  Get the ball out of our car. 

E:  Listen, I'll give it another week or so.  Then, if nothing happens, I'll give her son a call. 

* * *

No more bowling.  These ladies have been bowling together for over fifty years.  They all joined the PTA (Parent Teacher Association) league when their children were in grammar school.  Now, their grandchildren are in college or beyond. 

NO MORE BOWLING, OY!

What will they all do?

Never fear ... they now walk the mall!


Wait a second!
What happened to the bowling ball?  Well, the week passed with no return call from Mary.  Etti called Marty, Mary's son, and he thought his mother was at home.  But, when he got to her condo there was no one on the premises.  These days Marty is called Martin but Etti knew him as a boy, so a boy he remains.  In any case, Marty called all of his sisters and found that Suzi, now Suzanne, had come to Chicago and moved Mary to a lovely seniors' assisted living facility five minutes from her home in Nebraska.  Too bad for everyone that she told no one.  When Etti finally found Mary to ask her about the bowling ball, Mary said that Etti should keep it so that she could take her grandchildren bowling. Mary was pretty sure that her bowling days were over.   Jerry was not pleased about the bowling ball in their car, so he moved it to their basement next to Etti's case. 

It is a number of years past the demolition of the old bowling alley.  Etti and Jerry have never taken the grandchildren bowling and now their eldest daughter, first born child as well, wants the basement emptied so they can put the house up for sale in the spring.   A seniors' apartment building would be a nice place after the down-sizing. 
But, she has a husband and a full time job and two houses of her own.  This is not her idea of fun to help her parents downsize.  Stress is building.  Stress is growing every moment.  In fact, what else could inspire a middle aged lady to scream at her elder father, "don't bother feeling sorry for yourself.  If you want to feel sorry for anyone, feel sorry for me.  I've got one of you here and one of you at home (she refers to her uncooperative, but sweet husband).  You think one house is a lot of work?  I have yours and my two!!!" 

Can you imagine what she'll say when she sees the two bowling balls?

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