Sugeknight I loved your story. I just love pool stories in general. I think I kind of know what you're saying though. Similar to the way a construction worker and a lawyer could be sitting next to eachother at a Cubs game and when a homer is hit they could high five and talk baseball as friends whereas normally their social paths nights never cross. That was a long winded version of what you've already so eloquently wrote "the language we all speak." Nice post
A Common Lanuage We all Speak
- Thread starter sugeknight
- Start date
Word!!! That's why I was so hesitant to sign up on this forum, it seems things can get ugly quick for no apparent reason. Suge, I appreciate your post and get the point of it. I was in Bangkok back in 94' but I was touring with a band and wasn't into pool then, so I never got to check out that part of the worlds love for pool. The traffic there was
I did think of you when I wrote that line Cuaba! It was fun last time and it's too bad there's no excuse to come back. The place now has a diamond and a streaming setup. Though if I had my choice, I'd rather visit you in Thailand than you come back here. True story: This town has three thai restaurants. But I go to one near my regular pool hall almost every week, and the best thai in the state is less than 15 minutes from another popular room.
Sugeknight,
Yes, Whidbey Island is a beautiful place and have been stationed here for going on 20 years, Navy. The only draw back to living here is there are no pool halls so its just bar boxes, tough to improve your game playing on them. Also its tough to keep somewhat of a game when you dont see a pool table 6 months out of the year, but once retirement hits, its time to get in stroke and try and see if I can improve a little bit.
Another story for you though, We pulled into Sasebo(sp) Japan for a few days back in 2007 and me and five friends were walking down a back street. Low and behold, we walked up on a small 6 table pool hall. Well my friends didn' want to play pool because there was drinking to be had so I told them to come back and get me in a couple of hours. So I walk into the pool hall and the only people there was a gentleman that look like he was in his forties working the counter and myself. I asked him if he wanted to play some and he just gave me a blank stare. Yep, he couldn't speak a lick of English so the next thing I know, he hands me his phone after he dialed some phone number. A lady answered in Japanese and as soon as I said Hello she hung up. Well he called back and said something to her and then handed me the phone and she translated for me that all I wanted to do is play some pool with him so he grabbed his sticks and some balls and we went to one of the nice gold crowns. Well I went to grab a house stick and he stopped me and let me play with one of his,,,don't know what type of cue it was but it did have a tiger shaft. Anyways, for the next two hours it seemed like that damn rack was attached to my hand. I remember him putting a 6 and a 7 pack on me like it was nothing. Oh, when I say pack, I'm meaning never getting off of my seat except to rack. It was a humbling experience, but an experience I really enjoyed as I sat there and tried to pick up on anything that could help my game out. I don't think either one of us made a noise the entire time, just tapping the butt of the cue on the hardwood floor in acknowledging of nice outs and nice shots. A real enjoyable time for me and I think he enjoyed it also because when my friends came back to get me I tried to pay and he just wouldn't accept any money, all he would accept is a handshake and a gesture from me saying thank you. Man I wish I had his name just to see if he was one of the top players or if he fit into the the old saying "there's always someone better out there".
I think you run into a lot of pool players that have forgotten the basic etiquette when it come to how you act while playing pool or while in a pool hall. It is always a true joy when you come across another pool player that give the game and there competitor the respect they deserve.
Just my 2 cents...
Yes, Whidbey Island is a beautiful place and have been stationed here for going on 20 years, Navy. The only draw back to living here is there are no pool halls so its just bar boxes, tough to improve your game playing on them. Also its tough to keep somewhat of a game when you dont see a pool table 6 months out of the year, but once retirement hits, its time to get in stroke and try and see if I can improve a little bit.
Another story for you though, We pulled into Sasebo(sp) Japan for a few days back in 2007 and me and five friends were walking down a back street. Low and behold, we walked up on a small 6 table pool hall. Well my friends didn' want to play pool because there was drinking to be had so I told them to come back and get me in a couple of hours. So I walk into the pool hall and the only people there was a gentleman that look like he was in his forties working the counter and myself. I asked him if he wanted to play some and he just gave me a blank stare. Yep, he couldn't speak a lick of English so the next thing I know, he hands me his phone after he dialed some phone number. A lady answered in Japanese and as soon as I said Hello she hung up. Well he called back and said something to her and then handed me the phone and she translated for me that all I wanted to do is play some pool with him so he grabbed his sticks and some balls and we went to one of the nice gold crowns. Well I went to grab a house stick and he stopped me and let me play with one of his,,,don't know what type of cue it was but it did have a tiger shaft. Anyways, for the next two hours it seemed like that damn rack was attached to my hand. I remember him putting a 6 and a 7 pack on me like it was nothing. Oh, when I say pack, I'm meaning never getting off of my seat except to rack. It was a humbling experience, but an experience I really enjoyed as I sat there and tried to pick up on anything that could help my game out. I don't think either one of us made a noise the entire time, just tapping the butt of the cue on the hardwood floor in acknowledging of nice outs and nice shots. A real enjoyable time for me and I think he enjoyed it also because when my friends came back to get me I tried to pay and he just wouldn't accept any money, all he would accept is a handshake and a gesture from me saying thank you. Man I wish I had his name just to see if he was one of the top players or if he fit into the the old saying "there's always someone better out there".
I think you run into a lot of pool players that have forgotten the basic etiquette when it come to how you act while playing pool or while in a pool hall. It is always a true joy when you come across another pool player that give the game and there competitor the respect they deserve.
Just my 2 cents...
First of all great story. I have also played pool with many people from around the globe, its a starting point to start a conversation if a common language is shared, or just share the game if not.If we are so despised, why does eveyone in the world want to live here? Go to school here? Work here?
Why do Canadians come down for Medical care? Who was the first in to help out the Haitians.
Shame on you! I just hope John Wayne and Ronald Reagan isn't watching this.
Tramp, this is part of the problem. The states is a great country with lots to offer but just because people come there you assume everyone in the world wants to be there. Everyone doesn't want to live there, work there or go to school there, for that matter want to go there for medical care. They go there because its not available to them where they live and it is available there. I am sure they would much rather it be available in their home country. Its not because they want to be there but they want what is available to better themselves. I worked in the States for a few years, I enjoyed my time there, but i wasn't there because i wanted to be. I was there because at that time its where the work was and the states had a shortage of skilled people in my trade.
Its not what your county has to offer that is despised, its the attitude arrogance and bravado of some, notice i say some, not all. Frequently this is probably just a difference in culture. Most Americans i have met are great folks, but as with any country some are not. In this situation unfortunately Americans tend to be the "loudest" so they tend stand out. There is nothing wrong with this necessarily, but in my current job i can often tell that a person is from the states before they tell me just by their attitude towards how they deal with people, conflict and situations. To me its not wrong its just different. Unfortunately to many cultures it could be and is often considered rude and this is likely where a lot of the despise comes from.
This is not meant as an attack, though i am sure some will take it that way, its just my observations from living there as an outsider.
As i said the states is a great country.
Take it or leave it, its only my opinion.
I really love your candor and heads-up. Thanks for giving us states people a fair look at ourselves through your eyes.
What country are you from? (Private Message is OK).
Thanks,
JoeyA
Playing in Thailand is a great experience. I was in Pattaya beach (90's) and you walk in and its filled with 12 foot snooker tables. I play pool so this was a new experience for me. I'm an American, but I learned snooker overseas so I'm more familiar with the way they play snooker than we do.
The only bad part is I'm hooked on snooker with nowhere to play.
Walk in the door and there's a person getting you a table, drink, find you somebody to play and whatever. They have rack girls who replace the colors and rack every game.
The rest of you who make anti-American comments "get out" (crowded here anyway) and practice your "free speech" overseas see how far that gets you.
Countries build fences to keep their people in we need one to keep people out.
The only bad part is I'm hooked on snooker with nowhere to play.
Walk in the door and there's a person getting you a table, drink, find you somebody to play and whatever. They have rack girls who replace the colors and rack every game.
The rest of you who make anti-American comments "get out" (crowded here anyway) and practice your "free speech" overseas see how far that gets you.
Countries build fences to keep their people in we need one to keep people out.
Hay Suge when're you coming back to the states to visit? let me know when you do man.
you give me the 8 and you got action
I don't think the Founding Fathers meant the words free speech to appear in ironic quotation marks.
And if they'd built a fence we would have a population of zero. We're a nation of immigrants.
I'm gonna come up to Bangkok for a few days after Songkran as well (I'll try to make Brad's b-day- I may miss it by a day or two though- depends on some stuff I have scheduled in Samui that I'm trying to get out of).
thanks pooladdiction. you give a very good example as well!
Word!!! That's why I was so hesitant to sign up on this forum, it seems things can get ugly quick for no apparent reason. Suge, I appreciate your post and get the point of it. I was in Bangkok back in 94' but I was touring with a band and wasn't into pool then, so I never got to check out that part of the worlds love for pool. The traffic there was
true brett. as soon as I read the first response I started to regret posting. I usually stick to the wanted/for sale forum for the same reasons you stated. But this has actually been cool and Im glad it seems a lot of people can relate.
You should make another trip out! the traffic is still insane, but the pool is great.
hey man, nice post.
it's true, each country has its share of ethnocentric people.
and I think those people need to travel more!
maybe this summer for a few weeks. I'd be great to meet up at crown and play. Hows your game? Flip anything recently?
Hey Monto, that sounds good man. I'll PM you my number and we can meet up.