Sunday, April 25, 2010
Mike was sleeping when I got to the Soldiers Home, so I left him a note and wandered down to the Activity Center. Everyone was looking at the big-screen TV, but no one was actually watching TV. Instead, Gary, Stan and Leo were playing Wii, and they invited me to join them.
“I’ve never done this before,” I warned. Gary smiled and challenged me to a bowling match. I sat down, since they were in wheelchairs, and rolled a spare my first time up. “Huh,” I said. Gary was still smiling. He is good.
Before too long, I started getting strikes. “You know, I used to be on a league in middle school,” I smiled. “Had my own bowling ball with my initials engraved in it and everything.”
“Now you tell me,” Gary said.
I beat him, but it was close. And then Stan beat me, so it all evened out.
Gary and I tried a round of Wii golf, and we both had problems controlling the controllers. The gallery was growing impatient. “Just hit it already,” yelled one spectator obviously unfamiliar with proper golf etiquette.
“We’re trying! We’re trying!” Gary laughed. And we all laughed.
We tied, quite a few strokes over par, and we gave up.
I had thought my timing was all off when I found Mike zonked out, but it actually turned out wonderfully. I got to know Stan, and got to bowl and golf and laugh—all excellent exercise.
Mike was sleeping when I got to the Soldiers Home, so I left him a note and wandered down to the Activity Center. Everyone was looking at the big-screen TV, but no one was actually watching TV. Instead, Gary, Stan and Leo were playing Wii, and they invited me to join them.
“I’ve never done this before,” I warned. Gary smiled and challenged me to a bowling match. I sat down, since they were in wheelchairs, and rolled a spare my first time up. “Huh,” I said. Gary was still smiling. He is good.
Before too long, I started getting strikes. “You know, I used to be on a league in middle school,” I smiled. “Had my own bowling ball with my initials engraved in it and everything.”
“Now you tell me,” Gary said.
I beat him, but it was close. And then Stan beat me, so it all evened out.
Gary and I tried a round of Wii golf, and we both had problems controlling the controllers. The gallery was growing impatient. “Just hit it already,” yelled one spectator obviously unfamiliar with proper golf etiquette.
“We’re trying! We’re trying!” Gary laughed. And we all laughed.
We tied, quite a few strokes over par, and we gave up.
I had thought my timing was all off when I found Mike zonked out, but it actually turned out wonderfully. I got to know Stan, and got to bowl and golf and laugh—all excellent exercise.