I guess to make this story seem as good to the reader as it is to me sitting here remembering it, I'm going to have to start from the beginning .Actually I'll go to the middle, then the beginning, and then to last night. Maybe writing in the 3rd person will make it sound a little less like bragging.
Being away for a while (10 years, ARMY, Vietnam, roaming, etc.), he hasn't seen any of his classmates from high school and decides to goes to his 10 year class reunion. In the beginning of the reunion 'Mr T' walks up to him. Not the real Mr T. I'm calling him that because he physically reminds me of Mr. T, his name begins with T, and he also was very nearly bald at the age of 28.
Mr T: ' Hello, You may not remember it, but I just wanted to thank you for changing my life.'
He says, 'I guess your right, I don't have any idea what your talking about.'
Mr T: 'Back when we were in the 9th grade and everyone was picking on you, I guess I just happened to be the one picking on you when you couldn't take it anymore and you blew your cork. You hit me square in the mouth. You were one of the smallest kids in the class and I knew I could kick your ass, but you were so right and I was so wrong that I just walked away. I never picked on anyone after that. Thanks.
He says, 'I don't remember it.'
Although they didn't see a lot of each other, they became very good friends.
As I said above, the middle was the class reunion, the beginning was high school, and now to last night.
Situation: It's the last night of the pool league play-off. The night before his team won 11 to 9, so tonight we need to win 10 games before they win 12. Race to 21 over two nights. No handicaps 8-ball league. Each player can only play one game per set, four sets of five per night. He has been the teams top shooter for the season and won his first two games, but at this point the score is 18 to 15. In walks Mr T. You see, we are playing Mr T's sons team. As he is giving Mr T a big greeting, he is thinking *just what I needed, more pressure*. He's sure that Mr T has heard from his son that he can play some pool, but Mr T has never seen him shoot. He tells Mr T that he is up next and he'll be back to talk more after he shoots.
It's his turn and now the score is 18 to 16. He breaks and doesn't make a ball on the break. Lucky though in that the leave was so bad that he was glad he didn't make a ball on the break. You've seen it, all those balls on the table and nothing with a clear path to a pocket. The opponent tries a very tough combination shot and misses. There are two problem spots. He goes after one of them on the first shot. Two shots later he fixes the other spot to eventually run the rack. After some celebrating the team captain comes up to him and says, "Your rack". The captain had played him back to back. 5th game of the 3rd set, 1st game of the fourth set. The opponent breaks. A good break, spreading the balls well but doesn't make anything. He runs the rack.
Two games later his team mate wins the final game (21 to 17) to take the championship. All this happening in front of his old friend Mr T, who had never seen him shoot pool. Well it was just a very good feeling. To good a feeling and story not to share here. Probably seems like a better story to me than you, but it was good remembering while I wrote.
P.S. If he doesn't call, telling me he read this, I'm going to tell him to read it. So I'll conclude with a big thank you to Fred McCann. Fred, without your lessons this past year, this story just wouldn't have happened.
Being away for a while (10 years, ARMY, Vietnam, roaming, etc.), he hasn't seen any of his classmates from high school and decides to goes to his 10 year class reunion. In the beginning of the reunion 'Mr T' walks up to him. Not the real Mr T. I'm calling him that because he physically reminds me of Mr. T, his name begins with T, and he also was very nearly bald at the age of 28.
Mr T: ' Hello, You may not remember it, but I just wanted to thank you for changing my life.'
He says, 'I guess your right, I don't have any idea what your talking about.'
Mr T: 'Back when we were in the 9th grade and everyone was picking on you, I guess I just happened to be the one picking on you when you couldn't take it anymore and you blew your cork. You hit me square in the mouth. You were one of the smallest kids in the class and I knew I could kick your ass, but you were so right and I was so wrong that I just walked away. I never picked on anyone after that. Thanks.
He says, 'I don't remember it.'
Although they didn't see a lot of each other, they became very good friends.
As I said above, the middle was the class reunion, the beginning was high school, and now to last night.
Situation: It's the last night of the pool league play-off. The night before his team won 11 to 9, so tonight we need to win 10 games before they win 12. Race to 21 over two nights. No handicaps 8-ball league. Each player can only play one game per set, four sets of five per night. He has been the teams top shooter for the season and won his first two games, but at this point the score is 18 to 15. In walks Mr T. You see, we are playing Mr T's sons team. As he is giving Mr T a big greeting, he is thinking *just what I needed, more pressure*. He's sure that Mr T has heard from his son that he can play some pool, but Mr T has never seen him shoot. He tells Mr T that he is up next and he'll be back to talk more after he shoots.
It's his turn and now the score is 18 to 16. He breaks and doesn't make a ball on the break. Lucky though in that the leave was so bad that he was glad he didn't make a ball on the break. You've seen it, all those balls on the table and nothing with a clear path to a pocket. The opponent tries a very tough combination shot and misses. There are two problem spots. He goes after one of them on the first shot. Two shots later he fixes the other spot to eventually run the rack. After some celebrating the team captain comes up to him and says, "Your rack". The captain had played him back to back. 5th game of the 3rd set, 1st game of the fourth set. The opponent breaks. A good break, spreading the balls well but doesn't make anything. He runs the rack.
Two games later his team mate wins the final game (21 to 17) to take the championship. All this happening in front of his old friend Mr T, who had never seen him shoot pool. Well it was just a very good feeling. To good a feeling and story not to share here. Probably seems like a better story to me than you, but it was good remembering while I wrote.
P.S. If he doesn't call, telling me he read this, I'm going to tell him to read it. So I'll conclude with a big thank you to Fred McCann. Fred, without your lessons this past year, this story just wouldn't have happened.
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