You are Duncan. Tonight is your first date since high school. You dropped Odis your SBS fluffy off at a Zoey’s house for obvious reasons. Jane your date is an old friend who works with you at the fluffy daycare. As you exit your car and approach her door you take a deep breath to calm the “what if’s” running rampant within your thoughts. You knock on the door and wait as the silence is replaced by tapping of heels growing louder with each step. There’s silence again for a brief moment before The deadbolt clicks open as the door squeaks ajar
“Oh… Duncan…I’m not quite ready yet. Please come in.” You politely decline the invitation. Jane looks confused for a moment before remembering that you were raised by your great grandparents. She closes the door and you wait in the cold for about 15 minutes before Jane emerges from her house dressed to the nines. Jane looks over at you dressed in jeans,tennis shoes, collared polo shirt and a varsity jacket.
“I hope I’m not overdressed for the occasion.”
You chuckle. “ I’ve never seen someone bowl in heels and a cocktail dress . But hey you might set a trend.”
You walk Jane to your car and open the passenger door for her.
On the drive over to the alley you try your best to engage in small talk but the usually jovial Jane is not interested , Instead scrolling on her phone. You decide simply to stop talking and ride in silence.
You arrive at the alley and park your car. You exit the vehicle and open the passenger door for Jane.
“Oh… you were serious about the bowling…”
You take a deep breathe then slowly exhale to calm your nerves.
“Yes Jane. I told you last week when you agreed on a date night that we were going bowling. Why would I have told you that if we weren’t going bowling?”
Jane doesn’t have a response to that.
You walk Jane to the building and hold the door for her.
Jane looks around at the antique decor of buildings interior .
“I thought you said this was a bowling alley?”
You smile “this bowling alley is special.”
An elderly Black man dressed in a long sleeve dress shirt, sweater vest, khaki pants and penny loafers greets you both. “It’s so wonderful to see you again Duncan!” He looks over at Jane. “Why hello there I don’t believe we’ve met. My name is Percy Glover.”
“Nice to meet you Mr Glover, I’m Jane Chapman.”
“So Mr Glover… I thought this was a bowling alley?”
Percy’s face lights up with excitement.
“Indeed it is ms Chapman! Allow me to show you the way.”
Percy leads you and Jane to a descending staircase at the far end of the dining room.
“It’s just down this staircase.”
As Jane descends the stairs she is taken aback by the immaculately maintained late 18th century architecture.
“What is this?”
“Jane this is one of the last early bowling allies left in the world. Operating the exact same way since its construction in 1900.”
Jane looks over at the men near the end of the bowling lane.
“And they are?”
“Those are the pin boys. They reset the pins”
“Duncan… this is… not what i pictured when you said we were going bowling.”
“Well this place is near and dear to my heart. I wanted to make our first date special so i decided to give you a once in a lifetime experience.”
“Look Duncan I appreciate all the effort but this isn’t the kind of place you take someone on a date…”
“One game.”
“Excuse me?”
“Can you give me one game?”
“Duncan seriously?”
“Humor me.”
“…….”
“ I see.”
“Duncan I’m really sorry….”
Just then Mr Glover brought down a bottle of wine and two glasses from upstairs.
“ I’m not sure what your preferences are regarding alcohol but I wanted to offer something on the house.”
“My apologies Mr Glover but we were just leaving.”
“So soon!? But what about dinner?”
You look over at Jane who is realizing what’s going on.
“Unfortunately miss Chapman is feeling a bit ill at the moment.”
Mr Glover sighs understanding what’s going on.
“Such a shame.”
“Please do get well soon Ms Chapman. Hopefully you will visit us again sometime.”
The ride home Jane desperately tried to apologize. But you simply kept your mouth shut. There are things best left unsaid especially in the presents of a lady. After arriving You opened her door walk her to the door and wish her good night.
You get back in your car and drive off to an empty field in the middle of nowhere and proceed to let out a string of the most foul expletives to ever grace your lips. You take a deep breath and collect yourself then drive back to the vanderholt farm to get Odis .
“Your back early…. Oh no did something happen. ?”
“My date was feeling sick so I took her home early.”
“Oh Duncan you must be devastated!”
“Honestly Zoey I think I dodged a bullet.”
