The five men had been bowling together for years. They were one of the inaugural teams in the Civic League that bowled every Thursday night. Over the years, they had won their share of trophies and cash. But they had also had plenty of years when they placed out of both. But they enjoyed being together and playing together as a team. They learned to count on each other and knew what each could and could not do. They cheered and urged each other to roll their best game. Mostly, they had learned to bounce back from defeats and enjoyed playing the game, win or lose.
Tonight, however, they feared that much of that was going to come to an end. Earlier in the week, they had heard that Phil had a major back surgery, and his doctor had advised him to give up bowling. Tonight, they had a new team member, Dan. He was a friend of Phil's and came with great creds. He was a consistent bowler but did not have as high an average as Phil. But since this was a handicap league, that was not a significant problem. The other four were not concerned about his bowling so much as they were about how he would fit in. After all these years, they were not sure they would be able to recover the magic of the old days.
After all the introductions, they took their practice shots on each lane. When Dan took his place on the approach, the other four sets of eyes were fixed on him. As he made his approach and released the ball, they were relieved that he had a graceful hook that found the pocket. There was a good mix as all the pins were swept off the lanes by the strike. They breathed a bit easier as he moved to the other lane for his second ball.
Once again, they watched as he paused before releasing his ball into the same gentle hook that found the pocket. Unfortunately, the ten-pin refused to yield. Everyone knew that a solid ten was part of the game, so they took a breath and watched how Dan reacted. They were relieved when Dan turned around and smiled. He was not upset. He shrugged and said, "It was a little heavy in the pocket. Gonna have to move out by a board on this lane." He then lined up to the far left, approached the foul line with ease, and gently released the ball. They were pleased to see it travel across the lane and run down the last two boards, hitting the pin dead center for the spare.
"Good shot!" "Looks like you have done that before!" "You nailed it!"
Dan replied smiling, "Thanks, I don't get mad; I get even!" The rest smiled with him.
After this, the guys had a good idea that Dan would work out just fine. Over the next few weeks, he had to endure their teasing and listen to all kinds of Phil stories. But he took it all in stride. You see, he loved playing the game too. And these guys were good companions. In time, trust developed as they learned what Phil could do well and where he needed help. Phil also picked up on his teammate's strengths and weaknesses. They would celebrate their victories and commiserate their losses without blame or ill-will. They bounced back. They commented on how the lanes changed during the night and helped each other find their mark with each roll. Yep, they were a team, a whole team. When Phil would drop by to visit, everyone was glad to see him. But they all saw Dan as a part of a team, not Phil's replacement. They trusted him, and he trusted them with every Thursday night and every frame of every game.
If trust can develop in a community, the ups and downs can be endured with resilience. No blaming or second-guessing is welcome or wanted. They are in it together and know that, together, they will enjoy the journey. Good rolling!
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