I hesitate to post this but here goes. I met Black Jeff in a nearby pool hall yesterday to play some Eight Ball on a bar table. We played for 20 a game and he beat me out of three games. I just couldn't seem to get the speed of the table so I quit.
I was leaving and I asked if anyone wanted to play One Pocket. Up steps the house champion who will remain nameless. He says he will play, so I say okay. He flips a coin and then asks me how much. I ask him what he usually plays for and he says 20 or 40 a game. I tell him 40 is fine. Off we go. I get ahead a game or two and it's back and forth. He shoots straighter on these very tight (less than 4") tables and I outmove him.
He is breaking with a kick shot into the pack. I told him on his first break he must get a rail after contact and he agrees. Finally about the fourth or fifth time he breaks no ball gets to a rail, and I call it on him. He argues with me, but finally agrees it's a foul. We finish the game but he continues to complain that he NEVER fouls when he breaks that way. I asked him if he thought I was making a move on him and he says no, but I made a mistake. I remind him a couple of times that I was standing right next to the table when he broke and I could see all the balls quite well. P.S. HE FOULED! A couple of balls did get within an inch or two of the rail.
I continue to play because I am ahead but I no longer am enjoying this game. He brings up the "bad call" several more times, especially after I win a game. We have played five hours and my feet are hurting bad. I have flat feet and am wearing sandals. I tell him I don't want to play much longer and he asks me if I'm going to quit winners. I tell him I'd like to come back and finish tomorrow and we can play for 50 a game. Nothing doing he says, let's keep playing. Okay then, I'll give him a chance to get his money back and we can play one game for all he owes me (only $120 at the time). And he's breaking, so he has an edge.
By the way, this place is crowded with kids, the music is blaring and we have to deal with a crowded conditions from the table next to us (a bunch of young people partying). I fade all this because I have a tough game which I like, but now I'm just done! Finally he agrees to play one game double or nothing. And he wins the last game, so we are even. He proceeds to tell me one more time about my bad call. I tell him he is a crybaby. He gets in my face and says "what did I say?" I tell him loudly now that he is a crybaby. I say that game was a long time ago and he should have dropped it then. It nearly comes to blows. And he is half my age, but not much bigger than me. All I can say about that is I was ready.
A louder argument ensues and he tells me he wants to play me for a hundred a game or freeze up $1,000. It becomes an ego thing and I tell him be careful what you ask for, you may get it. I truly believe I can beat this guy, but I left so aggravated that I don't care about playing him again. I actually feel like if I had won that last game for $240 we would have had a bigger argument and I may have had trouble getting paid. Just a gut instinct based on how he acted.
I'm sorry for this long story. I'm just not sure right now how to handle this, so I'm asking for advice. He plays good and it's a tough game for me. But I like the challenge, I just don't need the aggravation. I have a feeling that now if we play, it won't be much fun. It has become personal, if you know what I mean. I don't really need his money. I'm unsure how to proceed at this point, maybe I'm still a little upset.
Thanks for listening to my little tale of woe.
