Striking Out The Fear of The Coronavirus

Today was like most Saturdays. I went to Bowlero Queens to practice. But of course this wasn't like most Saturdays. The Coronavirus is still very much among us and will be for the foreseeable future. Considering how many public events have been cancelled, it is comforting that to know that bowling alleys in New York City are still open.

My Dad had misgivings about me taking the subway to Queens to go bowling. But if I had gone to Bowlmor in Times Square to bowl three games it would have cost me $45. At Bowlero Queens, it costs me $3 (as I am a league member). So Dad told me, "Have a good time." (As a precaution, I took along a canister of Wet Ones).

Upon my arrival weren't very many people there. In fact, I had the opportunity to bowl "league style". Simply put, I had two lanes to myself. Because I bowled in this way I bowled only 1 1/2 games instead of three. So I decided to roll my three practice games (which only cost an additional $9).

As I am rolling my games the crowd becomes much larger. It's mostly families and friends who have booked several lanes for parties. Under the circumstances, they could have easily cancelled their events. I must admit that as the years have gone by I get nervous in crowds and these nerves have only been exacerbated since moving to NYC. But today I found the crowds to be comforting. (Of course, my mood was also buoyed by rolling 122, 93 and 130 twice rolling sparrows - which is three consecutive spares).

Regardless of how I bowled today, I felt encouraged to see so many people see fit to their lives as normally as they possibly could. There is a very good chance that things are going to get much worse before they get better. Yet I do not want to live a life where I have to imprison myself for an indefinite period of time. I don't want to get sick, but I don't want cabin fever either.

For the past nine months, bowling has become an important part of my life. Now with the Coronavirus, at the very minimum the fear of it, bowling has become even more important. Bowling is the means by which I will strike out the fear of the Coronavirus. Or at the very least every pin I can spare.