Note from Slick: I get a lot of requests for married couples and games and thought I'd do a bowling league. But this one is a special soft-swing league that rewards the winning couple. Check it out. All rights reserved.
*
Allan and Betsy had been married seven years without children when both realized their life sucked. They both worked long hours during the week but on the weekends found themselves home on most Saturday nights. It was at the library when Betsy saw the advertisement on the community bulletin board.
"MIDNIGHT BOWLING LEAGUE FOR COUPLES, Open to all couples who want to have fun and meet others. Private bowling after hours. Call 555-9455."
Since they had bowled in a small league after college Betsy called the phone number after she got home.
"Hello," a woman's voice answered.
"Uh...hi, I'm calling about the Midnight Bowling league."
"Yes, what did you want to know?"
"Details I guess," Betsy answered. "How many couples, how much does it cost and I guess how serious are the bowlers?"
"Right now we only have six couples but one couple is moving away. The cost is $40 per week and most of us are not very good at bowling."
"OK, that sounds great," Betsy said. "I'll need to ask my husband."
"Why don't you and your husband stop by our house and we can cover some of the other things about the league?"
It was a Saturday morning so Betsy knew they were bowling that night. "Can we just stop by tonight and watch?"
"No, I'm sorry. The building is locked for our league. We and the ball return man are the only ones in the building. Maybe you two can stop by after dinner tonight?"
Betsy didn't understand all of the secrecy. "My husband will be home soon. I'll call you back and let you know." They hung up and an hour later Allan returned. Betsy told him about her conversation.
"A private bowling league in a locked building after midnight," he repeated. "Its sounds strange."
"Please, what harm is there to just check it out?"
"OK, call her back and get directions," he said before going into the back yard to plant a few bushes he had just purchased.
*****
Carol had the dinner ready to go in the oven when her husband Bob came home. "A couple interested in the bowling league is coming over tonight for dinner."
"Great, did you tell them anything about what we do?"
"No, after I told the last two couples they didn't call back."
"Maybe I can work on the guy and you can work on the woman?"
"That's what I was thinking," Carol smiled.
*****
"I still don't know why this is so private," Allan said after pulling into the driveway of a couple they had never met.
"Relax, it can't be bad." Betsy said smoothing down her dress before exiting their car.
They moved to the front door and rang the doorbell. When the door opened they saw a short dark haired woman in a very tight blouse and skirt. "You must be Betsy and Allan. I'm Carol."
They shook hands and Carol led them into the den where Bob sat. He also greeted them and the four sat quietly until Allan spoke. "So why all the secrecy about the bowling league?"
Bob stood. "Why don't I show you the pool and Jacuzzi while the women get the dinner ready?"
The two guys walked out back while the women moved into the kitchen. Carol pulled out the large salad bowl full of lettuce and vegetables. "How long have you two been married?"
Betsy rolled her wedding ring. "Seven years."
"We've been married ten," Carol smiled. "After about six years we discovered that we lost a lot of the spark."
"Yeah, I know what you mean," Betsy frowned.
"So that's why we started the bowling league."
"Bowling provides you sparks?" Betsy asked wondering why.
"Have you ever heard of soft swinging?" Carol asked as she turned up the oven.
Betsy knew what swinging was all about. "Not the soft part and what does that have anything to do with bowling?" She answered. When the woman leaned over to look into the oven she saw the shape of her thong through her tight skirt.
"Soft swinging is basically foreplay with other couples up to as far as you want to go but not all the way." Carol waited to see if the woman was going to run out of the kitchen but instead heard her pull out a kitchen chair and sit down.
Betsy and Allan had joked about playing adult games with their friends but were afraid to really go for it. "How does the bowling part work?"
Carol turned and peeked at the nice thighs on the younger woman. "We bowl to determine who does what to whom."
Betsy's eyes opened wider. "Oh my God. You mean like kissing and touching each other." She then realized why the doors were locked. "You do it right there in the bowling alley."
"Yes," Carol answered.
*****
Bob walked Allan out by the hot tub and picked up a screen to scoop out some leaves that had fallen in. "I don't like to beat around the bush."
"Good," Allan said. "So are you going to tell me about the locked doors?"
"Have you ever heard about soft swinging?"
Allan was watching the man pick out the leaves but quickly turned to look into his face. "Swinging like swapping wives?"
"Not swapping in the sense of throwing car keys in a bowl and taking another woman home with you. Soft swing is basically kissing and touching up to but not including intercourse."
Allan laughed. "I figured it had to be something like that."
Bob put down the screen. "So it's fine with you then?"
"How does the bowling part work?"
"Each week the couples bowl each other. If you get a strike the person of the opposite sex of the other couple must do a dare."
"A dare. Give me an example."
"A kiss or maybe give you a massage."