Colorado small-time tournament players will know Melvin, a remarkable player with a big heart and even bigger liver. ScottW and I reminisced about him in the thread about playing drunks. It's been five years since anyone I know has seen him.
Saturday night, at the Tarantula Billiard Cafe' (15th & Champa, upstairs), I was alone practicing blind shots. Guy asks if I want a few games of 9-ball. Sure.
"How about a race to 5 for $20?" That made me open my eyes to regard him.
"Oh, Hell, why don't I just lend you my ATM card and PIN, Melvin?"
He's changed, much for the better. Lost about 40 pounds and the jaundice. He doesn't stagger or slur now, although he had a half-empty pitcher of beer. If not for the bug eyes and flat, three-inch wide nose, I might be short several Jacksons.
Melvin says he's at Tarantula's most evenings these days. He's waiting to return to Shakespeare's when it re-opens at its new location, 2620 Walnut Street. So am I. I drove by there Friday to see how it's coming along. I'd give it about three more weeks; nothing but plywood on the facade and a jumble of construction materials inside right now.
Saturday night, at the Tarantula Billiard Cafe' (15th & Champa, upstairs), I was alone practicing blind shots. Guy asks if I want a few games of 9-ball. Sure.
"How about a race to 5 for $20?" That made me open my eyes to regard him.
"Oh, Hell, why don't I just lend you my ATM card and PIN, Melvin?"
He's changed, much for the better. Lost about 40 pounds and the jaundice. He doesn't stagger or slur now, although he had a half-empty pitcher of beer. If not for the bug eyes and flat, three-inch wide nose, I might be short several Jacksons.
Melvin says he's at Tarantula's most evenings these days. He's waiting to return to Shakespeare's when it re-opens at its new location, 2620 Walnut Street. So am I. I drove by there Friday to see how it's coming along. I'd give it about three more weeks; nothing but plywood on the facade and a jumble of construction materials inside right now.
