Back in 1980 Gene Zervakis is a 13 year old only child from a successful family. Mom Diana is a Podiatrist and Dad Jim is a dentist. Gene is a bit of a loner with only a few friends and despite his parents encouraging him to get involved in more school activities he resists until the start of the 80-81 school year. Gene who is big for his age comes home from school early in the year and says he wants to join the bowling club/league at school. Gene’s parents are thrilled though neither one of them have ever been bowling and no nothing about the sport. When Gene was about 10 an uncle no longer living in the area had taken him bowling a few times. Gene then asks his Mom what size shoes he needs to rent? Diana does not know despite being a podiatrist that a special shoe is required for bowling and asks if another person has worn the same shoes before and when told yes asks can you buy your own? The podiatrist dose not want her son wearing used shoes and when she finds out bowling shoes can be bought decides Gene will have his own. Dad Jim says he has been outgrowing shoes every 6 months so why not rent. Diana says I don’t care no kid of mine is going to wear used shoes. Diana in her practice has seen too many problems with used shoes and money is not an issue.
Gene gets his own shoes and starts in the league at first his average is only around 100 using alley provided bowling balls. Come Christmas time when asks what he wants Gene says his own 16 pound bowling ball drilled for his fingers and among other things he gets though that weight is not usually what a 13 year old uses but is what he has been using when he bowls. With his own bowling ball drilled to his fingers Gene’s average goes up thru the rest of the school year until it’s around 150 not bad for a 13 year old. Gene makes his parents happy by making a few new friends in the league. During that summer between Gene who lives close enough to ride his bike to the bowling alley practices and after getting a new pair of size 11 shoes up from size 9 is coming close to 200 in practice games.
Gene as he starts his freshman year is now close to 6 feet tall is happy to find out the high school has a bowling club/league. Gene is approached the a basketball coach about coming out for the team but there is a catch. Gene would have to give up bowling and elects not to do so. Gene a good student does not mind one afternoon a week after school bowling but does not want to commit to basketball that takes up considerably more time. The school year is uneventful and Gene’s average is in the 180’s until towards the end of the year when he sprains his left wrist and being a lefty is hampered by the injury. Gene’s average still finished the year at 170 good for a 14 year old. Gene’s high game just before the injury is 225.
Gene’s sprained wrist is still painful as school lets out for the summer so he does not practice a lot until about 2 weeks before school starts when the wrist feels better. One day when his Dad knowing Gene was going to practice decides to come watch because he had never seen him bowl and brings a friend who is also off that day. Gene is only bowling in the 140 to 150 range which he says is because of his layoff from the sport. Dad’s friend who Gene does not know asks when was the last time you had an eye exam and is told before the last school year. That exam showed 20/20 vision. Gene did not know his Dad’s friend is an Optometrist and had noticed him squinting to see how many pins were still shown as up at the end of the alley. Gene is surprised saying he has always had good vision and even read a few letters on the 20/15 line with his left eye. The friend asks if Gene has grown any in the last year and is told 3 inches and from an size 11 to 13 shoe. The Optometrist who has examined Gene every exam has now moved to practice about 50 miles away so an appointment is made with his Dad’s friend whos office is in the same complex as the bowling alley. Gene with parental permission goes to the exam by himself since both his parents and Dad’s friend have the same day off. Gene’s vision has gone from 20/20 to 20/40 in both eyes. Gene is prescribed glasses of -1.00 in both eyes with no Astigmatism. Gene gets his glasses about a week before school starts and the first thing he does is try bowling with them. Gene’s first game with glasses is 268 which is his best ever but doesn’t count because it wasn’t in a league. Gene is told to wear his glasses as needed but cautioned if he keeps growing his vision could get to the point that he has no choice except for full time wear.
Gene at the start of his sophomore year again turns down the basketball coach saying bowling is what he wants to do. Gene is wearing his glasses all day in school and when bowling for now. Gene does sometimes take his glasses off to read which concerns his Dad enough that he calls his friend who ahead of his time for the 80’s says that is not problem. In the 70’s and 80’s it seemed most Optometrists told even Myopic patients glasses for far away and reading. Gene has a great year both in school and bowling making the honor roll every time and averaging a 236 with a high game of 269. That summer Gene who turns 16 in August takes drivers education so he can get his license in September of that year. Gene actually passes his permit screening without glasses but does wear them in the car. At Gene’s routing eye exam towards the end of summer his prescription only goes up -.25 in both eyes to -1.25 still with no Astigmatism.
At the start of the junior year the basketball doesn’t bother this time and Gene again has a great year in both school and bowling. Gene who is surprised with a car the day he gets his license this time restricted to corrective lenses. Gene then makes the decision to go full time glasses wearer. Gene figures if he always wears glasses he won’t forget them when driving. Gene again makes the honor roll every time and averages 245 with a high game of a staggering 274. That summer at the urging of the bowling alley manager instead of practicing Gene joins a summer league where he averages 250 and becomes the youngest bowler in that alleys history to have a perfect 300 game. Gene parents wonder if he has what it takes to go on the PBA tour but quickly find out it takes money to get started. Gene at the end of that summer has his regular eye exam and his prescription does jump a bit to -1.75R and -1.50L now with mild Astigmatism.
Gene’s senior year starts and the basketball coach tries one more time and is again turned down. Gene again has a great year making the honor roll and averaging 249 in the bowling league. Gene has his graduation Gene graduates high school and at his eye exam his prescription goes up the most it has to -2.00R and -2.25L still with mild Astigmatism. The distance prescription is still to this day the same. The Astigmatism is now only in his right eye and at roughly age 45 progressives came along now at a +2.00 though he still sometimes takes his glasses off to read.
Gene from the time he took up bowling became less of a loner and more outgoing makes a big decision that summer that his parents don’t like but respect. Gene that summer had worked in the plumbing business for a friend from the bowling days because he needed help and for something to do. Gene was good at it and his friend’s Dad says why don’t you let me train you to be a master plumber? Gene tired of school asks what kind of money a good plumber makes and it’s actually more then his Dad makes teaching dentistry. Gene who that summer got married to a girl he met thru bowling works for the friends Dad and this his friend when he takes over the business. Gene’s wife is unable to have kids so the couple foster dogs for the local humane society. Today Gene is making good money in the plumbing business while his wife makes good money working for an accounting firm. The ironic is Gene’s wife is also named Jean but the female spelling. Jean who has had good vision all her life until the last year when she had no choice but to start using cheaters at first and then getting progressive with the top clear to see the accounting numbers. The couple fostering all different breeds of dogs and being careful with money are looking forward to retirement in a few years. There house and almost new cars are paid for and the couple is living good. Gene’s parents are still alive retired and impressed with how his working life has turned out. Both parents were lucky there parents could pay to put them all thru school now realize college is not for everybody. Gene has made good money with only a high school education and his wife did not go to college either.
One note is the couple continued in bowling leagues until Jean’s knee which will in time have to be replaced got too bad to bowl. Gene decided after many years of bowling to take a break despite his wife urging him to continue. Gene says in a year or 2 he may join a league again.