It must have been at least 25 years ago when Jerry and I were searching for a Birthday present for my father—the man who had everything!! Daddy was a great man, and deserved the “best birthday present—ever!” After (what seemed like) hours of shopping, we found the perfect gift: “Executive Bowling”.
E B was a “desk top” game that you could set out, and (oh, I don’t know), play with it when you had the door closed to your office?? Or put it on your coffee table for friends and family to play with, like a chess set?? But since dad was quite the bowler in his day, we just thought that this would be fun—–rather than a tie, or a belt! I remember that when we gave it to him, he was nice enough to pretend that he loved it, and he set it up and we all sort of played with it for awhile, but soon it made it’s way to a drawer.
A few years ago when daddy passed on to his new life, my brothers, sisters, children, nieces and nephews, all had a chance to go through mom and dad’s house, and take anything that they wanted. As I was looking through drawers, I found the “Executive Bowling” game. I brought it home with me, and Jerry questioned my reason for taking it. I said, “I don’t know—-maybe our grandkids would like to play with it!” Of course he laughed at me and said that they would never give it a second look. “It is way too much work!!” he said. In this generation of computerized games, PC2 or 3 or whatever (and now Wii), he thought that they would never take the time to play with EB. After all, you had to manually set up the pins every time you rolled the ball down the wooden alley! “It’s too old-fashioned!!”
That brings us to this last weekend when 3 of our grandchildren came to spend the night. Tony 10, Zach 14, Brittany 16, (and Bogie their dog.)
Now, EVERY TIME they come for a visit, one of them asks to play “Executive Bowling”. This has been the “most often played” game that we have ever had in our house! We have played it soooo much, that the shiny gold bowling pins have become dark with tarnish!! And it is not just ONE of the kids that want to play. They actually ALL enjoy it! Of course, this weekend we did spend plenty of time Bowling with the “Wii”, and also doing some “Wii” racing. But even with all the new fangled “high tech” games, EB is never forgotten or left out! Fun was had by all! And—some day soon, our youngest grandson Michael (9 mo.), and any future grandchildren we have, will also be introduced to “Executive Bowling”.
I do believe that my daddy looks down from heaven every time the kids ask to play EB, smiles, and says: “that was my best birthday present ever!” I love you, Daddy!!
