Bowl Me Over

"Roller Disco Arcade"

642 pieces  |  LEGO: 41708 (retired)

Assembled by Sarah Wilkinson, November 2024

Interaction Rating: 5 / 5 (interaction with the set is encouraged)

February 14, 2022

Two days after matching on the dating app Bumble, Hunter and Sarah went on their first date to Uptown Alley, an upscale bowling alley and arcade near Sarah's house. Hunter got there before Sarah did, and her first glimpse of him was through her windshield, where he stood waving, squinting into her headlights. Sarah immediately hated his work boots with a passion she still can't quite explain (he later got rid of the boots).

It was a Monday, and also Valentine's Day, something they didn't realize until they walked inside and saw signs advertising Valentine's bowling packages. He insisted on paying for the two rounds of bowling, which came to over $80. With their very attractive bowling shoes on, they started the first game. Hunter kept forgetting to take his turn because he was so wrapped up in their conversation as they got to know each other. Sarah found it charming that he was far more interested in her than in the game. Each time, he was already walking back to talk to her before his bowling ball even hit the pins.

They discussed their shared interest in Ireland, their childhoods, and the details they'd read about each other on Bumble. Hunter's dating profile mentioned Bartholomew Chassenée, so Sarah asked more about him. Hunter proceeded to tell a lengthy story about a man in the 1600s who defended rats in court and won his case. That was Sarah's first introduction to Hunter's quirky love for bizarre stories from history, as well as the consequences of his spending a lot of time on Reddit (he excels at obscure trivia). They can't remember who won either game, since they weren't really playing anyway.

Afterward, they continued chatting at a nearby booth for two more hours. Despite having work the next morning, they stayed out until after 10 pm. They left the bowling alley only slightly more known to each other than they were when they walked in, but there was enough of a spark to have a second date, especially since they couldn't stop texting each other when they were apart. Hunter lingered by Sarah's car in the parking lot, waiting perhaps for a hug and kiss, but Sarah wasn't ready for that. They both said an awkward goodbye, drove to their separate homes, and replayed the date over and over in their heads.