Alley Cat

    Technology is definitely a step
ahead of us....well....at least me!
    I think back to the days when
I used to set pins at the two lane
bowling alley in the Hazleton
YMCA.
    There was a foot peddle at the
end of each lane. You step on the
peddle and ten tiny spikes popped
up through the floor. Each of the
pins had a hole in the bottom.
And, as you might expect, you
placed the pins on the spikes, then
waited to clear away whatever
was left standing after the bowler
rolled the ball down the lane.
   A couple of the bowlers threw
the balls so hard a pin or two
sometimes flew up in our
direction. You developed good
reflexes to avoid being clobbered!
   The automatic pin setters
eventually replaced pin boys and
the technology just keep coming.
   It's been awhile since I
bowled. But now-a-days you
don't even have to keep your own
score! The computer does that and
it's probably just as well.
   I've seen a few clerks trying to
do the math when their computer
goes down. I can just imagine how
they'd handle the addition following
a Spare!
   And that brings me to yesterday.
   I'm on a sort of speaking tour as
I share some area connections to
the sinking of the Titanic.
    I was at a Senior Citizen's
Center in Scranton, getting ready
to give my speech when I walked
towards the microphone.
   Little did I know I was walking
across "the bowling alley!"
   There were no pin boys.
   There were no automatic pit
setters. In fact, there were no
real pins! But that's OK. There
were no real bowling balls
either!
    The seniors at the center
had discovered the Wi....actually
a Wi-Fi.....the wireless electronic
device that lets players simulate
various games as they hold a
controller in their hand.
    A large screen TV nearby
displayed a bowling alley, the
pins, and the trajectory of the
ball as calculated by the
movement of the player's
controller.
    The players were standing,
just as if they were near the
foul line. But they could have
just as easily been sitting in an
easy chair playing the game.
    I'm told that one woman at
the center has bowled several
perfect 300 games!
    At least no pin boys were
in danger from a ball thrown
too hard!
    I'm told that "kids" are the
ones who use the Wi most of
all. I know the "kids" at that
Senior Center are sure enjoying
theirs!
    Hope you're at the best of
your game, whatever it is, and
that all your NEWS is good!