Cosmic Bowling

For my SALSU event, I attended cosmic bowling at the AMFC lanes in Riverside. It was a fun experience and didn’t expect there to be so many people present. When I arrived, the line to enter was out the door and at least four people wide, so my friends and I just placed ourselves at the end and waited for the line to move. Well, the line did move, but it did so very incrementally, but I didn’t mind because I was being entertained by watching my friends do stupid things. As we got closer to the door, I was handed a release waver by some SALSU officer; I reading it and laughing at the fact La Sierra took no responsibility if we harmed ourselves at their event. I signed the release and concluded that since I didn’t have any plans on getting hurt (by a bowling ball?), I would be fine. Upon entering the bowling alley, I was told that I would have to wait for a game to open because the alley was crammed to the limit. Feeling defeated, I resigned to wait indefinitely until a guy from my English 111 class singled me out amidst the crowd and said, “We need two more people to come join our game.” “Great!” I thought, “Now I can actually experience what I came here to try- bowling. Well, bowling turned out to be more difficult that I had perceived; were everyone around me was getting strikes, a had yet to see that giant X flash across the screen. As the night progressed, I was by no means complacent with my mediocre bowling skills; my friends would give me tips and encourage me, but whatever the advice, I continued to suck. Finally, when by turn was up, and after ruminating some on my friends instruction, I prepared to redeem myself. I picked up my blue bowling ball, walked up to the alley, and remembered my friend saying, “Keep your arm straight, if you twist your arm, the ball will turn.” It was over as quickly as it began; the ball glided away from my fingers, slid down the lane with an impeccable trajectory, and hit the leading pin with a joyous crash. I was able to visualize my success just long enough before my friends came crashing down upon me, each shouting “Finally!” After my first and only strike of the night, I was able to enjoy myself. I no longer felt that bowling was a dumb sport reserved for old guys in pleated shirts. I realized that that bowling, like anything, requires practice, and a small dose of luck. So yes, just because of that one strike I can truthfully say that I enjoyed that particular SALSU event greatly.

Michael Aguilar

10-28-09

UNST: Gospel According to Wall-E

SALSU Event