It was the summer of 1985, I was 12. I had worked at my dads and godfathers large bakery for almost a year to support my vices, RC 1/10 scale, electronic gaming, karate, and bowling - about $25 to $40 a day every Saturday depending how fast I can work in 3 to 4 hours.
That summer I went to the sporting goods store which was near the hobby store and found a Columbia spare ball that looked copper'ish. I don't remember if it was a white dot, or what color the dot was. Anyway, The clerk asked me how I wanted my fingers drilled. Me, not knowing any better pointed at the base of my middle finger and ring finger. I said, "I want the hole to go this deep." That would put my whole fingers in the hole
lol The look on the guys face was priceless. He said, "What?! you're going to break your fingers kid." lol He then explained to me what he was going to do and also explained that I will be growing up fast and may not fit the ball the following year and to return if it doesn't fit.
After paying for it, I headed down the escalator, it was my first time I sincerely felt excited about bowling. Now I can be a legit bowler kid like the guys and gals with their own bowling equipment. My father who I met down stairs asked what I got and was shocked I got a bowling ball, but proud I earned it on my own. After a short lecture about life, finance, and being a man one day, he brought me back to the third floor to buy me a bowling bag to go with my new ball.
(Before we left the sporting goods, I tried to push it with my dad.... I asked if we could go to the martial arts store so he could buy me another pair of nunchuku's. He laughed at me. Instead he took me to another place and got me a "Rambo knife", a survival knife with that compass on top and a freak'n map.
LOL)
