39: Unexpected Defeat
Bode my time. Waited. Missed. A nobody.
Went to see a film yesterday afternoon. Changed my mind at the door. Was about to head home, but then I saw the bowling alley.
The place looked awful. Empty. No birthday parties, work outings, or couples on dates.
Bowled three games. No strikes. One ball slipped out of my hand and guttered straight away. Didn’t use that one again.
Game after game, the pins stayed standing. Stoic. Indifferent.
Afterwards, I spent a while at the claw machine. The toys were all off-brand animals with loose stitching and haunted eyes. A kid was feeding in coins. Failing, every time.
I hovered nearby, looking indifferent.
When he gave up, I stepped in. He watched on as the claw dropped, twitched, and caught nothing.
Tried again. Same. The third time, it closed around a chicken’s head, lifted it, and then let go halfway up.
The kid’s laughter ricocheted off the plastic seats.
“Shouldn’t you be at work, mister?”
Didn’t say anything. Didn’t want the chicken anyway.
He was still laughing as I walked out.
