Reflections on a life of Pool

Island Drive said:
Only thing that is missing is a female companion at home for the final ride.:grin-square:
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And she may be here soon, if we can work out the visa details. It took me a long time but I've found the girl of my dreams. :wink:
 
Some people dedicate their lives to money and lose family.

Some people dedicate their lives to pool and lose family.

Those who lose family, for any reason, don't understand
what real success means.

Success means attaining what you personally value,
not to be confused with what somebody else thinks
is valuable.

I'm glad for Jay that he is happy. I'm glad for my
doctor because he is happy and I'm glad for
Mitt Romney because he is happy.

I took my Dad to the hospital this morning about the
same time Jay was having his musings. My dad is
over 80 and who knows what will happen but he
has had a happy life, done the things he wanted to
do, and has family with him now.

Thanks
 
lfigueroa said:
My Dad always hated that I played so much pool as a teenager.

But years later, one thing that tickled him to no end was that while I was stationed in Spain, I won the base level 14.1 championship, which led to the Mediterranean championship, which led to the European championship. And when I'd call home and say, "Hey, Dad, I'm playing pool in Italy and then going to Carnivale in Venice" or later, "Hey, Dad, I'm going to Germany to play and then going to Octoberfest in Munich" he would just marvel and laugh out loud about where my pool playing was taking me.

It's been a weird, wonderful road and I have met people from every level of social strata from bums, to lawyers and judges, to working girls, firemen, street corner pharmacists, cops, made guys, bond fund managers, pimps, school teachers, three-card monte mechanics, professional athletes, and on and on and many of them, from all walks of life, have been or remain my friends.

But more than anything else, there's been the game. In sickness and in health, for better or worse, in stroke and out of stroke -- a beautiful game of brightly colored cloth, gleaming, polished balls, and perfect geometric dimensions. It's always been there, always willing to accommodate me, always whispering, "Come on, big boy. Show me what you got."

Lou Figueroa
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Love it Lou! I'm with you there, all the interesting characters I've met along the way. My parents, especially my dad, hated that I was running all over the country playing pool when I was in my 20's. It all changed when they came out to Bakersfield to visit me and see my new poolroom, The Cue Ball Recreation. They arrived on a Friday afternoon, we had dinner and went down to the poolroom afterwards. Not even 8 o'clock and it was already packed. They hung around a couple of hours and watched me work the counter. I never stopped moving, between taking care of the pool people, pouring drinks and making food. My wife was working right alongside me and the register was ringing like a bell.

When they saw that, their whole attitude changed. They saw that I was successful (I was only 28) and that made them happy. My dad never complained about my career choice again!
 
jay helfert said:
Just sitting here at 4 AM, looking at my pool table and wondering what happened in my life. I could have been a doctor like my father and my brother. I could have been many things, so why did I chose this path to follow. Maybe I was just too lazy to go to school all those years. I didn't really like being cooped up in a classroom. I enjoyed the open road and new adventures.

So here I am fifty years later, reflecting on what and who I am. I sit here in my easy chair; a pool table, my cue and the cue ball my only company. In the distance my little Bose radio chimes out soft classics. I like to dance around the table when I'm alone. I'm at peace, what more can one ask. Thanks for joining me on this journey.
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Nice post Jay. I have a few years on you but it has not diminished my love of the game. I never was a great player, but played all games well and have been lucky enough to hold on to my game well into my 70's. 7th/8th in the US Open One Pocket 3 years ago and beating SVB 3/1 this year at the Hard Times Chuck Markulis Memorial Tournament in front of the home crowd. I know I'm bragging, but I refuse to give up the game I love and am still able to play at a fairly high level.

Tomorrow is our monthly one pocket tournament in Sacramento. If I go deep, and I usually do, I will be there 12 to 16 hours depending on the turnout and loving every minute of it.

My own resurgence in pool came after a very sad time in my life. I lost a son and a wife to cancer. When you grow up in pool rooms and life gets rough, you go back to your safe place, and for me, that is the pool room. Of course I would rather have them back and never shoot a ball again, but that is not how it came down, so you tough it out and do the thing that makes you happy. For me that is playing and watching pool, and being around the pool playing family.

We are both long time members of that family with many friends and a lifetime of memories. I hope we have many more years with the people and game we love.
 
Lots of pearls of wisdom in this thread as they say. I'm a scientist and am around "book smart" people all day every day, but I can say without question that some of the most intelligent people I have ever met have been in the pool hall. Pool exposes you to everything you are not exposed to in the sterile world that most people spend their lives in. The pool experience certainly makes you a much more rounded person, and because of that, you will be better at the other things you choose to do in life. Jay, you're doing just fine!
 
The Road Not Taken
By Robert Frost

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
 
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Ky Boy said:
Good for you Jay!!

I feel like I speak for MANY men when I say I had one foot in the pool scene for a long time and one foot at home working and raising a family.

Being married to the greatest woman I know who allows me to experience the pool world through overnights and weekends going to play hours away from home. She always wondered how I could walk into a pool room knowing no one and find a friend or 3 in there and have so many things in common with those folks. And how I could walk in with total disregard to my safety. Or go to someone's house I don't even know to play pool for hours on end cause we met through a mutual friend.

The stories, the pain, the discipline, the respect, and even the lessons this game has taught does not compare to much of the other stuff I learned in life. To me, they are much more valuable. While I am not out there living the life of a road man, I am still thankful I get to experience it like I do.It's funny too though. Many times I tell my wife stories about my travels thinking she doesn't listen. Then much later on I tell a story to her that references one of the same individuals from a previous story and she remembers and that makes me smile. Sometimes I think she lives vicariously through me. But she also made me keep my promises at home to be a husband and father to our 2 children. I can honestly say that I have done both exceptionally well.

You know, I look around and see other things going on and talk to people with other interests. Most of which talk about days gone by and how they wished they were involved in their respective interests much earlier on in their life. In it's "hey day" so to speak. While I totally understand where they are coming from, I feel as though for me pool is in it's hey day right now. Maybe it is or maybe it isn't...but either way I am happy to be a small part of it!!

Poor people spend their money on stuff; Wealthy spend their money on experiences!!



Gary
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Good for you Gary! I love that last line. I will save it okay. I always said I got a better education in the poolroom than I ever did in school. I know one thing, I can smell a con a mile away. I've been hit up for all kinds of "deals," all claiming great returns. I sniff it out pretty quickly. I will never be a victim of a Bernie Madoff! That's for damn sure. Yes, I do have a few bite marks from hanging around with pool players, but no deep wounds. :cool:
 
Kid Dynomite said:
I have seen ALOT due to my time spent playing pool & learned alot! I think we all have given up alot also! You don't get something for nothing! The straight and narrow route of a Doctor in life leaves you "pray" to the Bernie Madoff's of the world. Leaves you pray to the "ENRON" corporation. Leaves you pray to the backstabbing & nepotism of corporate america. You end up working all your life to get a pension and a retirement. If your lucky and hit it big like Steve Jobs, you will have worked all your life away at the expense of "EVERYTHING" else. Making sense of it all is not possible!

Growing up around hustlers, con-artist, pimps, dealers, thieves, & millionaires in the pool room has been a great source for knowledge, jobs & resources. Street knowledge is undervalued, way too often! This knowledge has kept me safe and on my toes in numerous situations that would have been devastating. I thank the lord for having those friends and pool associates that protected me.

When it is all said and done, my family is all that matters! The measure of one's success should not be based on money or material items! It should be based on the people you were able to touch, elevate & educate. The experiences and good times you were able to afford yourself and the ones you love!

Jay Helfert has traveled the world! Experienced different foods and cultures! Played the best pool players the world has to offer! Owned businesses! Written books! Raised a family! Jay's post kind of diminished some of these "Great" things he has done. If you ask "Steve Jobs" family which he admits to neglecting to build his empire. If asked if they would have preferred he spent more time with them VS. his empire building? They would overwhelmingly say more quality time with their dad!!! He sacrificed that, by making the decisions and choices he made.

We all sacrifice something, due to the choices and decisions we make along the way. Some decisions sacrifice money, Some decisions sacrifice relationships! This concept in economics is called "Opportunity Loss"! Jay could have become a doctor instead of his pool career! He sacrificed one for the other. I am certain he enjoyed himself! He could have been a doctor and gotten sued for every penny! He would have been doing something his heart was not into for years! Sacrificing happiness for job prestige is just not a good thing!

KD
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Amazing I just said nearly the same thing before reading your post. I agree that being "Street Smart" trumps a lot of other more formal types of education. We have immunity to con men! :thumbup:
 
jrhendy said:
Nice post Jay. I have a few years on you but it has not diminished my love of the game. I never was a great player, but played all games well and have been lucky enough to hold on to my game well into my 70's. 7th/8th in the US Open One Pocket 3 years ago and beating SVB 3/1 this year at the Hard Times Chuck Markulis Memorial Tournament in front of the home crowd. I know I'm bragging, but I refuse to give up the game I love and am still able to play at a fairly high level.

Tomorrow is our monthly one pocket tournament in Sacramento. If I go deep, and I usually do, I will be there 12 to 16 hours depending on the turnout and loving every minute of it.

My own resurgence in pool came after a very sad time in my life. I lost a son and a wife to cancer. When you grow up in pool rooms and life gets rough, you go back to your safe place, and for me, that is the pool room. Of course I would rather have them back and never shoot a ball again, but that is not how it came down, so you tough it out and do the thing that makes you happy. For me that is playing and watching pool, and being around the pool playing family.

We are both long time members of that family with many friends and a lifetime of memories. I hope we have many more years with the people and game we love.
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Thanks John, 9-7 and you've got me! Love you buddy, I was so happy to see you beat that former "star" at DCC. That was way cooler than all those big money games going on.
 
atlarge said:
two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
and sorry i could not travel both
and be one traveler, long i stood
and looked down one as far as i could
to where it bent in the undergrowth;

then took the other, as just as fair,
and having perhaps the better claim
because it was grassy and wanted wear,
though as for that the passing there
had worn them really about the same,

and both that morning equally lay
in leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, i kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way
i doubted if i should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and i,
i took the one less traveled by,
and that has made all the difference.

Robert frost
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Thanks, that was Beautiful!
 
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When I was young, I had big plans to go to MIT and so on. Alas, I tend to question everything, find little desire to do work for the sake of working and meandered my way through life, ending up doing A/P for the past 10 years, which is just a little longer than I've been playing.

I've been around quite a mix of people in my life, but none so much as with being involved in pool. After getting laid off with the company I moved to Portland with, randomly joining a pool league helped me meet a lot of people, which include most of my current friends.

A little success in playing league and a money game here or there has also made some difference in my life, which I'm grateful for, having only the same old same old paycheck time after time. Now, getting involved with setting up places with new tables, there's finally a little something more substantial that I really enjoy and should get me out of a cubicle once in a while! Beyond that, I've got some good plans, too. It's been a long, strange ride, going from looking at a boring engineer-type job to something like this.

Hopefully, in a couple of years, I'll be spending my summers fishing and the rest of the year something pool-related. :thumbup:
 
I never stop being amazed at the quality of the writing on this forum and this thread is a prime example.
 
Banks said:
When I was young, I had big plans to go to MIT and so on. Alas, I tend to question everything, find little desire to do work for the sake of working and meandered my way through life, ending up doing A/P for the past 10 years, which is just a little longer than I've been playing.

I've been around quite a mix of people in my life, but none so much as with being involved in pool. After getting laid off with the company I moved to Portland with, randomly joining a pool league helped me meet a lot of people, which include most of my current friends.

A little success in playing league and a money game here or there has also made some difference in my life, which I'm grateful for, having only the same old same old paycheck time after time. Now, getting involved with setting up places with new tables, there's finally a little something more substantial that I really enjoy and should get me out of a cubicle once in a while! Beyond that, I've got some good plans, too. It's been a long, strange ride, going from looking at a boring engineer-type job to something like this.

Hopefully, in a couple of years, I'll be spending my summers fishing and the rest of the year something pool-related. :thumbup:
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Sounds good to me. Go for it!
 
See what you started Jay. You just don't know when to stop. You just keep giving and giving. Resulting in the game giving back more than most can understand. Hats of to ya!

Hope your future "dream :wink:" comes to pass!!

Your post reminded me of something that happen many years ago in my youth. My dad had taken me to the American Legion Post to hit a few, I was 7 or 8. I told him "Dad, when I get big I'm going to have a table in my house, and we can play anytime we want". He smiled and chuckled ... 20 years later when he came to visit and saw my new Brunswick 41/2 x 9 ... He Cried.

Gotta go ... my 4 yr. old grandson wants to, as he says, "Play Cue Ball"

Hope to catch you at the "Open"

Thank for the memories!

Al
 
jay helfert said:
Just sitting here at 4 AM, looking at my pool table and wondering what happened in my life. I could have been a doctor like my father and my brother. I could have been many things, so why did I chose this path to follow. Maybe I was just too lazy to go to school all those years. I didn't really like being cooped up in a classroom. I enjoyed the open road and new adventures.

So here I am fifty years later, reflecting on what and who I am. I sit here in my easy chair; a pool table, my cue and the cue ball my only company. In the distance my little Bose radio chimes out soft classics. I like to dance around the table when I'm alone. I'm at peace, what more can one ask. Thanks for joining me on this journey.
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Ya know, Jay.
If you enjoy what you're doing then you should never question yourself.
My impression is that you truly enjoyed your life and your experiences.
Case closed, sir.
 
At 73, I too sit and wonder where all the time went. Seems like just a few years ago I was riding my 1941 Indian Scout from bar to bar hustling pool in all the bars in Soutwest Long Island with phony proof…I was only 16. Then for the next 40 years or so around the country including Alaska three times. Along the way I met and married my great wife Virginia (Ginny) and managed to be home enough to have four kids. We have been married for 50 years. I don’t think anyone that’s honest with themselves truly believes they are completely happy with all the things they have done and things not done. Johnnyt
 
jay helfert said:
Just sitting here at 4 AM, looking at my pool table and wondering what happened in my life. I could have been a doctor like my father and my brother. I could have been many things, so why did I chose this path to follow. Maybe I was just too lazy to go to school all those years. I didn't really like being cooped up in a classroom. I enjoyed the open road and new adventures.

So here I am fifty years later, reflecting on what and who I am. I sit here in my easy chair; a pool table, my cue and the cue ball my only company. In the distance my little Bose radio chimes out soft classics. I like to dance around the table when I'm alone. I'm at peace, what more can one ask. Thanks for joining me on this journey.
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It has been my pleasure and my honor. But the journey isn't over yet. :smile:

JoeyA
 
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