17 Framed

Chapter 17 FRAMED Interstate 30, which starts in Little Rock, Arkansas, stretches west over 350 miles, across Texas. In the Dallas area it's known as the Tom Landry Highway, in honor of the longtime coach of the Dallas Cowboys. The McDonalds were only on the road for fifteen minutes when they pulled off at the exit marked ARLINGTON. "Why are we stopping here?" Pep asked. "You'll see," said Mrs. McDonald. "It's a surprise." "I don't like surprises," Coke said, rubbing his bruised knee. He'd already had enough surprises for the day. "Oh, you'll like this one," his mother assured him. The twins looked around anxiously as Dr.

McDonald pulled off the highway on the right and merged onto Six Flags Road. "We're going to Six Flags!" Pep shouted excitedly. "We're going to Six Flags!" Six Flags, as you probably know, is a popular amusement park chain. There are nineteen of them in North America. The twins had been to Six Flags Discovery Kingdom back home in California, and they could barely contain their enthusiasm. "I hate to break it to you," Mrs. McDonald said, "but we're not going to Six Flags." "Why not?" asked Pep, deflated. "Where are we going, then?" Coke asked as they drove right past the sign for SIX FLAGS OVER TEXAS. Another sign pointed toward RANGERS BALLPARK. "Are we going to a Rangers game?" Pep asked. "No...," Mrs. McDonald said mysteriously. The car pulled into a parking lot. A large office building in the distance had a sign in big

letters on it: USBC. "What's that?" Pep asked. There was no need to answer, because as they got closer Pep could see what the letters stood for—United States Bowling Congress. Other signs indicated the International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame, the International Bowling Campus, and the International Bowling Training and Research Center. It was all part of a giant bowling complex. "You gotta be kidding me," Coke said. "They do bowling research? You roll a ball down an alley and try to knock down pins. What is there to research?"

"Keep an open mind, son," said Dr. McDonald. "I think you're going to like this." "I'd rather go to Six Flags," Coke grumbled. They parked near a giant white bowling pin and Mrs. McDonald bought tickets for the bowling museum. Everything has a history. If you take any object,

any activity, any sport, there was somebody who invented it a long time ago. Somebody else probably improved it or perfected it. A third person may have made it into something that millions of people use or do every day. And if we personally are interested in that thing, we want to know more about it. That's why there are museums devoted to yo-yos, mustard, Spam, gourds, rock and roll, spies, and yes, bowling. The place was enormous, and even the twins found the displays to be interesting. Who knew that primitive bowling pins were found in an Egyptian tomb that was dated 3200 BCE? Who

knew that ninety-five million people around the world bowl, in ninety different countries? The museum was filled with information and interactive exhibits that explained just about everything you always wanted to know about bowling but never thought to ask. Even so, after a while Coke and Pep were a bit tired of reading about it and ready to do some actual bowling. "Can Pep and I blow this pop stand while you guys finish the museum?" Coke asked his parents. They agreed, and found out that there was open bowling across the street at the International Bowling Training and Research Center. The twins had no trouble finding it, and there weren't that many people on the lanes in the late afternoon. Coke and Pep went to the front desk, which was raised a few feet above the floor. A woman was behind the desk, and when she turned around to face them, the twins shrank back in