Burt

Burt set down his laptop on the living room coffee table and started it up. “Hey, Carole. It’s almost time to chat with Kurt.”

Carole popped her head from the kitchen. “Send him my love. Tell Kurt that I’m making the soufflé and the healthy heart salad recipes that he sent me last week. He said that timing is everything with the soufflé, so I’m staying in the kitchen.”

Burt smiled to himself. The soufflé wouldn’t be too bad. He saw Carole take out the cheese from the fridge, and he absolutely loved cheese. Who didn’t?

In keeping with the family tradition, he chatted with Kurt every Friday night. It wasn’t the same as eating dinner together, but it kept him connected to his son who was now living in New York City and attending his final year at NYADA. Burt opened the FaceTime app on the computer. Sure, he could use the newfangled phone that he got for his birthday, but he liked to see Kurt on a larger screen. He missed Kurt a lot but knew that his son was better off living in New York City, pursuing his dreams. 

Burt glanced at the top corner of the computer screen. It was almost time for their regular Friday night chat. Should he call him or wait the extra five minutes? Before he could make a decision, he noticed the pop-up notification for the call. He quickly clicked ‘accept’, and his son’s handsome face filled the screen. Burt’s face lit up like a Christmas tree. “Hey, bud!”

“Hey, dad. What’s new with you?”

Burt rambled on about the goings-on at the garage and the dinner that Carole was fixing, all the while looking at his son. Kurt had a blank stare and one hand was propping up his head. “Am I boring you?” 

Kurt let out a deep sigh. “No, dad. I’m just bored with life in general.”

This wasn’t the Kurt he knew. His son was always busy, so there had to be something else going on that he didn’t know about. “What gives?”

“Life has become so predictable. I attend my NYADA classes. I work shifts at The Spotlight Diner. I have potluck dinners every Monday night with my old high school friends. Ever since One Three Hill split up, I’m home alone in my spare time, not having a clue what to do.”

Burt could certainly appreciate how Kurt felt. He really hoped that he could give his son some useful advice. “Close your eyes and let your imagination run wild. In an ideal world, how would you like to spend your nights off from working at the diner?”

Kurt closed his eyes. “Doing something fun with people who aren’t completely absorbed in themselves and their musical theater career. Having a new hobby that I could look forward to each week.” Kurt ducked his head. “And meeting the man of my dreams.”

Burt could feel his heart squeeze. Kurt had always been a romantic soul. Long ago, he had made the effort to explain to his son that he should really matter to men in whom he was interested. Burt only hoped that his awkward advice and pamphlets had helped Kurt to navigate relationships with other gay men. So far, Kurt had been silent about his love life, which meant he hadn’t met anyone special. Such a pity that Kurt had just confirmed this.

Burt thought back to when his sweet Elizabeth died. He’d had to adjust to being a single parent and figure out things to do to make himself happy. Suddenly, he had a great idea. “You should join a bowling league.”

Kurt’s mouth fell open. “A bowling league? You’re kidding, right? I know you love to bowl, but it’s not how people like me spend their free time.”

Burt chuckled, knowing this would be Kurt’s first reaction. “Don’t discount the idea so fast. Bowling is now popular again; it’s inexpensive, widely available, and fun to play. And it’s a great way to meet new people. Bowling is all-inclusive, so no one feels left out. Some of my best buddies are from my league. Nowadays, it’s not just for old folks. There are plenty of kids your age bowling. A lot has changed since the days that we were in the Big/Little league. They even have a karaoke room at my local place.”

Kurt smiled affectionately as if remembering their times at the bowling alley. “Yeah, we had a lot of fun, but I haven’t bowled since I joined the glee club back in high school.”

“You were an excellent bowler. It’s like riding a bike. You’ll be fine. After all, we were the father/son league champions for three years.”

“I’ll give it some thought,” Kurt conceded.

“I’m not telling you how to run your life, but it could be something fun for you to do.” 

Carole darted into the living room. “Dinner is ready. We better eat the soufflé before it deflates.”

“Kurt, I gotta go, but please don’t discount the bowling idea.”

“I won’t. Love you, dad.”

“Love you, too, son. We’ll see you next week for Christmas.”

Christmas in Bushwick

Burt could hardly contain his excitement as Kurt opened up the first Christmas present. 

“Dad, these are pretty awesome bowling shoes.”

Burt beamed brightly. “I hope you use them real soon. I also brought my old bowling ball. I think we have the same-sized fingers.”

Kurt nodded. “I’m sure we do. I can make it work.”

Kurt opened up the other gifts: a bowling shirt, a bag for the ball, and funny bowling crew socks. “Okay, dad, I’ve got the hint.”

“It doesn’t hurt to try bowling again at least once.”

“I guess not. I promise to go bowling in the new year.”

“I’ll hold you to that promise.” 

Burt smiled to himself smugly. He already had a plan. 

Two days later, Kurt had an eight-hour shift at The Spotlight Diner, leaving Burt and Carole to their own devices. Burt had already done some Internet research on bowling alleys in the Bushwick area. There were some in Brooklyn that catered to a night-time crowd with live music, but the one which piqued his interest was “Anderson’s Alley and Arcade”, which was very close by. According to their website, it had been recently renovated. They were currently having a soft opening with discounts, and a grand opening in the new year. It seemed well worth a visit. It was a good thing that he had packed Carole’s and his bowling gear in the truck before heading to New York City for Christmas.

It was a 15-minute walk to “Anderson’s Alley and Arcade”. When they had entered the premises, Burt was impressed. It was much more up-to-date than where he and Carole played each week in Lima. Various arcade games were stationed across the back wall. It was the perfect blend of “old school” for people like him with a trendy-looking bar and restaurant for younger customers. He rubbed his hands together in glee. He already had the feeling that this could be a place where Kurt would enjoy hanging out.

Burt quickly marched to the reception desk to discover an attractive young Black woman wearing bold colors, her outfit finished off with a multi-colored scarf. Burt could already imagine Kurt discussing the latest fashions with her.

“Welcome! I’m Unique. How can I help you?”

“Good morning. We’d like to rent a lane for an hour.”

“You’ve come to the right place. Do you need rental shoes?”

“Nope, we’ve got our own.” Burt glanced around. “You don’t look too busy.”

“It’s only 11 o’clock. We just opened a few minutes ago. When the schools get out, we’ll be busy with birthday parties. Then we switch things up for our nighttime customers, leagues, and clubs. Trust me, I’ll soon be rushed off my feet.”

Burt paid for their time, and Unique gave them their lane assignment. Burt could tell that no expense had been spared during the renovation. There was colored LED lighting everywhere and large multi-zone video and audio. Fortunately, country music was playing in their section of the alley. Burt and Carole sat down and put on their bowling shoes. He glanced at the console, wondering how to start their session.

“Excuse me.”

Burt turned around to discover a young man who looked like a 1940’s movie star with slicked-back dark hair and interesting triangular eyebrows. He was wearing cropped blue trousers, a red checked shirt, suspenders, and a bowtie. He seemed friendly enough, giving them a big smile.

“I’m Blaine Anderson. Can I help you set up your game?”

Burt pointed to the console. “Call me old-fashioned, but I don’t want the Angry Bird version for bowling.”

Blaine right-swiped on the console to get to the main menu. “I think the classic bowling option might be the right one for you. What are your names?”

“Burt and Carole.”

Blaine entered their names as players. “You’re now good to go.”

“Thanks for your help, Blaine.”

“Anytime. Just press this button if you need anything. We’ve got some specials at the moment for food and drinks if you’re interested.”

“We’ll remember that,” Carole replied.

Their hour session went quickly, and Burt was very satisfied with their scores. Once they had changed their shoes, he turned to Carole. “Would you like a drink or something to eat?” 

“I would kill for a coffee and I’m feeling a bit peckish. Let’s check out what they have on offer,” Carole replied.

They walked to the full-sized bar with TV screens showing live sports games. There were booths and tables in a large seating area. They paused at the glass cabinet filled with soft drinks, salads, and sandwiches. Burt picked up a nearby menu filled with delicious-sounding food.

Blaine appeared behind the bar counter. “Hi, Burt and Carole. You’re just in time for our lunchtime special. Coffee or tea plus a muffin costs $3, and it’s $8 for a sandwich and a soft drink. Or you can order from our menu. The prices are as listed.”

Burt and Carole inspected the sandwiches and ordered two ham and cheese paninis plus coffee.

“Please take a seat anywhere you like. It will take me a couple of minutes to heat the paninis for you.”

Burt and Carole sat at a booth, and in no time at all, Blaine came over with their food.

“How did the bowling go?” Blaine asked.

Burt puffed his chest out. “I scored 254, and Carole’s best was 222.”

“Not bad, not bad at all. Would you be interested in joining one of our leagues? We could use players like you two.”

“We’re from out of town, visiting our son for the holidays. Kurt is around your age. He hasn’t bowled in ages, but he was extremely good. Kurt is looking for a new hobby, and I’m hoping that he takes up bowling again.”

“We have plenty of leagues and clubs for every kind of player in every age group. After you’ve eaten, why don’t I give you a tour around the place so that you can report back to him?”

“That sounds great, Blaine.”

Blaine left them to attend to other customers. 

Carole bit into her panini. “Oh, this is delicious. I’m sure Kurt would love it, too.”

“What do you think of Blaine?” Burt asked.

“He is adorable. So handsome and friendly.”

Burt nodded. “That outfit… It’s got my gaydar pinging.”

“Who knows? You can’t always judge a book by its cover,” Carole reminded him.

Burt took a sip of coffee. He would bet his custom-fitted bowling ball that Blaine was gay. And maybe he doesn’t get Blaine’s look, but he knows his son. Kurt would swoon at the sight of Blaine.

When they had finished eating, Blaine came over to clear the table. “Can I get you anything else?”

Carole smiled at him. “No, thank you, honey. That was delicious. Your menu is much better than at our local alley.”

Blaine preened at the compliment. “I recently installed a kitchen where the back office used to be. It’s small, but the chef is pretty creative within the space. Would you like your tour now?”

“Sure thing,” Burt replied. “When we met you, you said you were Blaine Anderson. Is this a family business?”

“I’m the owner.”

Burt looked Blaine over. “You’re pretty young to own a business.”

“My great-uncle started the business. I practically grew up here. I used to come every day after school until my parents got off from work and picked me up. When I was older, I worked here on weekends and school vacations.” Blaine then had a faraway look. “It was a real lifesaver. I was always a little different than other kids my age.”

Burt looked Blaine squarely in the eyes. “Are you gay?

Carole’s eyes flew open and she slapped her husband’s arm. “Burt! That’s a very personal question. Blaine, you don’t have to answer that.”

Blaine blushed, but Burt noticed that he was glancing at his and Carole’s rainbow pins. “It’s okay, Carole. I’m proud to be gay. Why do you ask?”

“My son is also gay. When Kurt was growing up in Ohio, people at school used to give him a tough time. I’m a car mechanic. Kurt used to spend a lot of his spare time at my garage.” 

Blaine nodded as if he understood what Burt had meant. 

“Is your great-uncle here? I’d love to meet him,” Burt said. 

Blaine shook his head. “A few months before I graduated from Columbia, my great-uncle died. He was a bachelor and left everything to me. I don’t think he had changed anything here since the 1980s. I decided to use my MBA skills to revamp the business. I used the cash I had inherited to renovate the bowling alley.” 

Burt glanced around. “I think your great-uncle would have approved.” 

Several things struck Burt at once. Blaine owned the business. He had an MBA from one of the top business schools in the country. He was probably around four years older than Kurt. And he was proudly gay! Gay! Gay! Blaine would be perfect for Kurt. 

Blaine gave them a tour of the arcade section, then showed them one of the private party rooms. The room looked bright and cheery for kiddos, and there was a large screen to show videos, probably cartoons.  

“In the afternoons, we host children’s parties here.” Blaine picked up a remote control and clicked a couple of buttons. The lighting darkened as special colored LED ceiling lights turned on. Blaine went to the corner to open a cabinet filled with audio equipment. “At night, this room can be used for adult parties or karaoke. Space is at a premium in Bushwick, so the private rooms need to be multi-functional.”

Burt nodded. “This is pretty impressive.”

Carole piped in. “Our Kurt loves karaoke. He’s an excellent singer. Kurt is in his last year at NYADA.”

Blaine’s eyebrows shot up. “NYADA. It’s well known for the performing arts. He must be very talented.”

Burt took out his phone from his pocket and opened up the photo app. He scrolled until he found the photo he had been looking for, then held up his phone so that Blaine could see. “This photo is Kurt and me back in our bowling days. We were our alley’s Big/Little league champions for three years.”

Blaine cooed, “You two look so adorable with your matching outfits.”

Burt then swiped until he found the recent Christmas photos. “This is Kurt now.”

Burt carefully watched Blaine as his eyes bugged out and his jaw dropped. Yep, Blaine definitely liked what he saw. Anyone with two eyes could see that Kurt was handsome.

Burt noticed that Blaine wasn’t wearing a ring on his left hand. He decided this was the right time to ask the last personal question. If Blaine answered it correctly, it would make him absolutely perfect for Kurt. “Are you single?”

Blaine ducked his head and chuckled. “Yeah. I’ve been too busy studying, then renovating the business to go on dates. There is no one special in my life.” 

Burt couldn’t hide his smile, knowing that the pieces were starting to fit together. “That’s the same with Kurt; he’s been busy studying and working at a diner to make ends meet. He plans to change that with a new hobby. It’s his new year’s resolution.”

“Is that right?” 

Burt smirked to himself while it took Blaine a few moments to compose himself. Blaine was definitely interested.

“On Thursday nights, we have the Slingers Club for people Kurt’s age. My age. It’s pretty casual, but most people show up around seven o’clock. If he comes, I can assess his bowling skills and set him up in the right group.” 

Burt smiled. “That’s great. Kurt usually has Thursday nights off from work. I’ll make sure he comes next week.”

“I’ll be here. Make sure that he asks for me when he arrives,” Blaine replied.

Burt shook Blaine’s hand. “You can count on it. Expect Kurt Hummel next Thursday night.”

On the walk back to Kurt’s apartment, Burt said, “All in all, that was very productive. I’ve got a feeling that ‘Anderson’s Alley and Arcade’ will be perfect for Kurt.”

Carole playfully slapped Burt’s side. “You mean Blaine would be perfect for Kurt. You couldn’t have been more obvious if you tried.”

Burt smiled to himself. He knew deep down in his heart that Blaine Anderson was perfect for his son. I’ve just met my future son-in-law. I can feel it in my bones.

It was just a matter of convincing Kurt to step inside Anderson’s Alley and Arcade so he would meet the love of his life.