The “Secret”

Tony peered over the bush and saw a small figure approaching quickly and silently. Rudolph!

The vampire stopped in front of him and rudely hissed at Tony. “Well, have you seen everything you needed to see?”

“I…” Tony began. Under no circumstances did he want to let Rudolph know that it had been great fun to watch them! And Rudolph was probably embarrassed that Tony had witnessed his defeat. Surely that was why he had hissed at him like that. Tony didn’t want to irritate him even more, so he said, “I think I know what you are all doing wrong!”

The little vampire listened. “All? Gregory and George too?”

Tony nodded. “Yes, all three of you.”

“All three…” the vampire repeated, clacking his teeth.

The little vampire glanced inside the bowling alley, where Gregory and George the Quick-Tempered had put their heads together and were whispering to each other.

“Gregory and George are also doing something wrong…” he said quietly, as if to himself. Then, as if he had had a sudden inspiration, a broad grin appeared on his face. “If we’re all doing something wrong but you only tell me what it is,” he went on excitedly, “then… then I’ll win! Right?”

“Yes, I guess so,” Tony confirmed.

“Then what is it? What are we doing wrong?” The vampire’s voice cracked.

Tony grinned. “You don’t throw, toss, or kick the ball. You have to…” Here he paused meaningfully before whispering the secret, which was not really a secret, “You have to roll the ball!”

“Roll it?” said the vampire, his eyes wide.

Then the corners of his mouth twitched, and with only barely suppressed excitement, he cried, “Exactly what I’ve always wanted to do! But George the Quick-Tempered, Mr. Know-It-All, always knows better! He claims bowling comes from sailing, and that’s why the ball has to fly through the air. What nonsense! Well, now I’ll show him!” He turned on his heel, and without another word to Tony, he ran back to the alley.