You ever feel like you live in two totally different worlds simultaneously? I do.
There's the pool world and the real world, and just like the old George Costanza character, I feel like the two worlds should never be combined. For me, it's probably best that they don't. At least it seems to be working for me now.
I've really enjoyed the last couple of years playing pool, not that I've really played all that much, at least not compared to those that play a lot. I've just gone to a handful of weekend tournaments. Most of which have been large state type bar table events and while I know many people don't consider bar table pool to be "real pool" I certainly have enjoyed the challenge and I've really gotten to like bar table 8 ball in the process.
But anyway…
Here’s how it goes: You say goodbye to the wife and the kiddos and head off to the tournament location. While driving, you think about real life stuff like your upcoming family vacation, or you think about your kids and how they are doing at school. You think about your wife and how much she loves pool. Okay maybe you don’t think about that last one but at least the others are legit. Then you look down at your instrument panel and you realize that your service engine soon light is on….still. It’s only been on for about a year now. Your mind just gets flooded with all these thoughts.
Then you finally get there, pull into the parking lot, shut off the engine, grab your cues and head for the door.
Once you're inside one of these places, it's like you stepped foot into a whole different world. A world that's full of the same cast of characters every time -- even if they have different names and faces, although, most assuredly you will see many of the same people. If you are lucky enough to go to the same venue year after year, it almost begins to seem like time is standing still. You KNOW that you left here a year ago, but now you're back and everyone is in their same place. The tournament directors are still scurrying around trying to sort everything out. All the players are still huddled around trying to find their name listed on the tournament chart. And all the while, in the background you hear the heavenly sounds of the balls colliding into one another. Nothing has changed.
You enter into this world for a few days with most of life's worries out of your mind. It's all pool - all the time and you just take it all in.
Next thing you know, it’s finished. Just like that! Where did the time go? It seems impossible that the tournament is already over. You spent several days there and it seems like it was only a dream. For a few days for the pool players time stood still but as soon as you walk out into the parking lot you see traffic and you see people coming and going. For them, life never even slowed down, let alone stopped. So, you get all packed up and hit the road, heading back to your other life. You’re greeted by the sight of your service engine soon light. You may have gone somewhere for a few days but it didn't. It's still there.
It seems like life is that thing that happens between pool tournaments.
Tell me I’m not the only one that feels this way.
There's the pool world and the real world, and just like the old George Costanza character, I feel like the two worlds should never be combined. For me, it's probably best that they don't. At least it seems to be working for me now.
I've really enjoyed the last couple of years playing pool, not that I've really played all that much, at least not compared to those that play a lot. I've just gone to a handful of weekend tournaments. Most of which have been large state type bar table events and while I know many people don't consider bar table pool to be "real pool" I certainly have enjoyed the challenge and I've really gotten to like bar table 8 ball in the process.
But anyway…
Here’s how it goes: You say goodbye to the wife and the kiddos and head off to the tournament location. While driving, you think about real life stuff like your upcoming family vacation, or you think about your kids and how they are doing at school. You think about your wife and how much she loves pool. Okay maybe you don’t think about that last one but at least the others are legit. Then you look down at your instrument panel and you realize that your service engine soon light is on….still. It’s only been on for about a year now. Your mind just gets flooded with all these thoughts.
Then you finally get there, pull into the parking lot, shut off the engine, grab your cues and head for the door.
Once you're inside one of these places, it's like you stepped foot into a whole different world. A world that's full of the same cast of characters every time -- even if they have different names and faces, although, most assuredly you will see many of the same people. If you are lucky enough to go to the same venue year after year, it almost begins to seem like time is standing still. You KNOW that you left here a year ago, but now you're back and everyone is in their same place. The tournament directors are still scurrying around trying to sort everything out. All the players are still huddled around trying to find their name listed on the tournament chart. And all the while, in the background you hear the heavenly sounds of the balls colliding into one another. Nothing has changed.
You enter into this world for a few days with most of life's worries out of your mind. It's all pool - all the time and you just take it all in.
Next thing you know, it’s finished. Just like that! Where did the time go? It seems impossible that the tournament is already over. You spent several days there and it seems like it was only a dream. For a few days for the pool players time stood still but as soon as you walk out into the parking lot you see traffic and you see people coming and going. For them, life never even slowed down, let alone stopped. So, you get all packed up and hit the road, heading back to your other life. You’re greeted by the sight of your service engine soon light. You may have gone somewhere for a few days but it didn't. It's still there.
It seems like life is that thing that happens between pool tournaments.
Tell me I’m not the only one that feels this way.
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