Who Knew It Was In the DNA

There is no way to start this, the way I want to start it, without sounding like a cranky old lady. So here comes the cranky old lady (C.O.L.):

Even though the arcades today have gotten really really loud, with blaring, and dinging and barking emanating from even idle machines (that was the C.O.L. part) there is usually a spot of sanity tucked in the corner.

With one drop of a quarter or token, the familair ditty begins, the ball release sounds is heard, and nine wooden balls come clunking and rolling down the shoot ready for action.

Yes, that age old game, that apparently still holds sway with the tech age kids, the game that sets a heart a flutter-SKEE BALL!

Last night the almost 10 year old and I went out for some together time. We were going to go play mini-golf, but at the last minute opted for Chuck E. Cheese (we had about 50 tokens left from the last time we went). She told me right away, before we got inside, that she wanted to start with Skee-Ball. Side by side we rolled the balls and watched as they careened a bit, mostly landing in the lower rings, but also planting a few more high value targets. We played and played, until I asked "want to try something else?" So we moved from the Skee-Ball, played the water shooting race a few times  (which is rigged to one side, which we know because we switched seats to see), some basketball, NFL quarterback, and MLB strikezone. She turned to me and said "Let's play more Skee-Ball."

Off we went to roll some more, get more tickets in a way that is so much better than those machines that lure you into thinking you will press a button and walk away with anything more than three tickets at any given time.  If you are even half decent at Skee- Ball you will get at least three tickets every time, and YOU GOT TO PLAY SKEE-BALL!!!!

It cracked me up how much she liked Skee-Ball. In the past years anywhere we have gone with the kids, MBB is sure to tell them: "If they have Skee-Ball, Mommy is going to have to play it." And I have.Maybe that's why she loves it, I recall my father loving too.

The only thing missing at the new machines in Chuck E Cheese? The familiar tune as the balls came rolling down the chute.

But it's OK, we're making new memories.