Personal Best

Saturday night Jason and I went bowling with my friend E and her new dude. She's a journalist and was reviewing the bowling alley for the newspaper, so we got to go with her and hang out and bowl and point out things that she might put in her review.

I have been bowling one other time in my life, about 6 1/2 years ago. I bowled a 53. This time, I bowled a 56. Personal best -- woohoo!! We had a great time -- drinking beer, bowling and watching the last bit of the Saints-Eagles game on TV. It all felt very wholesome and Middle America.

One of my favorite things about hanging out with E is that she's such an encouraging person. I'm very competitive, but it was hard to get too steamed about my crappy performance when I obviously had no chance of winning, and when E cheered every shot, whether I bowled a strike (which I did twice) or a gutter ball (which I did about 8 times). She reminds me of my mom, who is also incredibly positive and encouraging.

Most of the time.

Yesterday I called my folks to say hello, and told my mom about our bowling excursion.

"How'd you do?"

"I bowled a 56."

In the tone of voice she reserves for expressions of shock and dismay, she blurted, "WENDY!! That's terrible!!"

I cracked up. I guess I'm out in the cold, cold world now, the one where my mother doesn't blow sunshine up my ass at everything I do, or at least not at a really pathetic bowling score.