Find a good seat, this may take a while. Yesterday was a full and busy day for me, with the morning spent with my little Jalo. She will be 15 months on Sept. 11. She is walking but not so well yet. She prefers to hold her mothers hand when she walks. She will still not allow me to hold her hand. When I reach for her hand she pulls away. But finally yesterday she let me grab onto her hand when we were walking across the street. It was only for a minute but having that little hand in mine made my day!
After our visit and some more shopping, it was off for adventure for me. I went first to the pool hall where I played so much pool last time. It was closed with only a vacant space where it used to be. BUMMER! I walk on down Libertad, a main thoroughfare in Pasay City. I've grown used to the stares of the people, many of whom rarely see an Anglo face. I do not travel like most visitors here. I stay in moderate priced hotels; a clean bed and bath most important to me. And I get out on the street and mingle with the people. I notice a sign for a friendly family dentist. I had a filling fall out a few weeks ago and there is a hole in mouth. Long story short. A very competent dentist replaced the filling (without an appt.!) and charged me 800p (about $18). I hate to think what that would have cost me in the USA.
Back on the street I was looking for a new pool room and wandered about for quite a while before finding a small two table room on Taft Ave. This place is open to the street and it is a stifling tropical heat. Sorry to say, most American players would not even consider playing in these type of conditions. But I'm old school and will play anywhere! I just want to hit balls and challenge myself. I go in and watch the game in progress between two decent filipinos. They ask me if I want to play. YES, I answer, I want your champion! That brings a smile from everyone. They tell me they have someone to play me and they will get him. Soon none other than Leonardo Andam (the Rattlesnake) strolls in and takes one look at me and smiles broadly. He gives me a hug and the whole room smiles along with us. Leo tells them that he has known me since he first came to the USA over 20 years ago. We reminisce for a while talking about the upcoming tournaments. He wants to play the Predator in two weeks and I tell him he must talk to Charlie Williams.
Now Leo's young protege comes in and asks Leo if he can play me. Sure why not, and I get on the table with this young lad of maybe 19 or 20. Rotation naturally. The kid can play, rarely missing an open ball, but he is careless too, going for too much. I start winning games. It is stifling hot in there and I'm sweating profusely. Andam goes out and brings me back a large bottle of water, a very gracious gesture by the local hero. I acquire a small rag and wipe my face and neck between turns. I'm sweating gallons, a good thing in my mind. I want to lose five more pounds and maybe I will today! Me and The Caped Crusader (I give him this name because he wears a cape like garment around his upper body) play eight games total (a race to five) and I win 5-3. Eight long games of Rotation has taken us maybe two hours and I'm glad to be done. I thank them all and pay 100P for the time and take my leave.
I now walk maybe another mile or two back to my hotel, making one wrong turn, that takes me a kilometer or so out of my way. It is 4PM and I collapse! I have a date with my friend Darwin, who will bring my cue and we will go to play pool tonight. He comes to pick me up after 7PM, and I am still feeling tired from the long afternoon. We go to Hobbies poolroom near the Mall of Asia. But first we eat a little something and I gladly buy our dinner as thanks for helping me with my cue (he refused any money!). It has been shortened 1.5 inches to make it 57" long, much better for me. A new ferrule has been put on and he has a new tip that will go on tonight. Darwin shows me two tips, one a Triangle that is very tall. The other is much shorter and darker. He says it is a hard tip made by Edwin Reyes, my departed friend. I want this tip from my old friend!
Hobbies has moved from it's old location and is much smaller with maybe six tables. All are old Gold Crown III's. These are Cadillacs over here! Darwin introduces me around and I meet Vicente the house pro. He will put my tip on now. Cool! He works next to the table while Darwin and I practice. Darwin is a high level amateur player and he is working me over pretty good. He has loaned me one of his cues while mine is readied. Darwin informs me that tonight is the weekly 9-Ball tournament here and we will be playing. Oh no I think, I'm SOOO tired! The old man hasn't got that all night endurance anymore. But he puts me in (250p - about $6). I insist on paying him back immediately because otherwise he would refuse it. I'm so fortunate to have such good friends over here. Thank you Darwin for your friendship!
The tournament has only thirteen players and it is winner take all! How about them apples. We will play three man ring games for an hour and a half, and then the eight players with the most wins will play the Knockout stages. All the players are half my age or younger. What else is new? I am using my new cue now and somehow I struggle though to the knockout stage. Long story short, I win the tournament, playing Darwin in the finals. Vicente peels off some 100p notes and hands me a nice trophy. How long has it been since I won a trophy. Oh wait, I won one last month playing with my AZ crew. I don't want to say "I'M BACK", but that line works here. It is 1AM now and Darwin takes me back to my hotel. I crash out for 6-7 hours, wake up and come here. What a day!
