“Zzzzz…. Zzzzz….. Huh? Wha–! Uh-Oh! A customer!”
Every hero is bound to come across a few shopkeepers in their journey to save the world. Not all items can be found from slicing down grass or breaking pots. There are various shopkeepers throughout Hyrule and the surrounding lands. Some that fade into the background and are forgotten, while others have a personality to remember, especially the ones that make you work for the goods. The ones that aren’t quite a shopkeeper but rather the owner of a minigame, forcing you to pay rupee after rupee in hopes of winning a prize bigger than what any shopkeeper may sell. The Bombchu Bowling Alley Operator (or BBAO for short) in Ocarina of Time is one such merchant who is hard to forget.
As a child, Link can enter the Bombchu Bowling Alley in Hyrule Castle Town after defeating King Dodongo. BBAO is found fast asleep at the counter, her head resting on her hand as she snores the day away despite the flashing neon colors and lively arcade music. Don’t mistake her sleepiness for laziness, however, for once she realizes there is a customer at her counter, she is full of life. She explains the rules with enthusiasm, even shouting some of her words when it’s time to BOWL!
“Do you want to know what you can win? Well, it’s a secret. I can’t tell you until you’ve paid to play.”
BBAO plays her own game as well, keeping the winning prize a secret until you’ve already spent those hard earned rupees. Are you after that Piece of Heart to give you that little edge against Ganondorf? Too bad. Here’s some bombs you didn’t need because you’re Bomb Bag was already at capacity. Still she yells “WINNER!” and even though she’s not voiced, there’s a cheekiness there. Or perhaps that’s the mind’s imagination projecting the frustration of playing the game over and over again.
After seven years in limbo, BBAO is nowhere to be found. One can assume that in Ganondorf’s siege, she didn’t make it out of Hyrule in time or perhaps she’s still fast asleep in the Bombchu Bowling Alley, completely unaware of the outside world until she is seen again celebrating with the other NPCs at Lon Lon Ranch. Well, they’re celebrating. She is asleep once again, leaning on some Lon Lon Milk cartons next to Granny. She truly can sleep through anything.
