Last night Gail and I went to see a local production of "Avenue Q." Very funny.
So after the show we're strolling along and come across an open air bar with a karaoke set up in the back and a 9' red clothed pool table in front. I haven't been playing any pool lately, resting up my knee, and Gail says, " Why don't you hit some balls. I'm sure you're dying to and we can have a couple of beers." So I give in. There's a house cue on the table and the balls are in the pockets and it's basically a play for free while you drink sort of thing.
I play for about 15 minutes, getting a feel for the cue and table, and then have had enough. I lay down the cue on the table to join my wife and sip a beer.
Just a few minutes later, a three lady crew comes in and they start to play each other 8ball. Gail and I are sitting ringside and it's pretty clear that the blonde, Penny, can actually play some.
Now, my wife, for all her wonderful qualities, has, from my point of view, one minor flaw: she *loves* situations like this and starts in on me right away, whispering, "Play her. She's the queen bee, beat her." And so on and so forth. Now personally, I don't like playing in bars anymore. Particularly because Gail always wants me to challenge the table and I don't like picking on "civilians." But I give in again, rack the balls, and am about to walk back and take a sip of beer when Sophia, Penny crew member #2, comes up to me, like nose-to-nose, and says, "You lose, you buy us tequila."
Did I mention we're in Mexico?
So, in my very best, most neutral tone -- and despite my natural inclination to flirt with the very attractive Sophia -- (plus the fact that my wife is sitting three feet away), I respond, "And what do I get if I win?" And Sophia says back, "You guys get tequila."
And so we play. Penny breaks, runs a few, misses. I make one, playing tricky two-rail position to set up for a second shot and to break up a cluster, run a couple more, and then take a ball off a side pocket point leaving Penny nothing. She tries a kick shot, misses, and I run out.
Penny demurs on another game and shortly thereafter two shots of tequila arrive at our table and Gail and I do our best to fulfill our diplomatic, American duty in these times of strained relations with our hosting country and shoot the tequilas. Of course, not too long after that, I'm feeling a little bad about stealing so I send over three shots to Penny, from California, Sophia, from Mexico, and Evelyn, from Costa Rica. Then, not too long after that, I suppose in a gesture of goodwill, they sent us two more shots.
I'm guessing you can all figure out where this is going.
After a few more rounds we are toast. The girls want a picture but no one is steady enough to manage a camera but luckily a gentleman on the rail volunteers to document this moment of international pool comraderie. We say "Adios," there are hugs and kisses all around, and Gail and I hail a taxi and somehow make it safe and sound to the condo we've been renting, though we are both paying a steep price today.
BTW, the best line I've heard down here, from a Mexican waiter, was' "You want to know how we Mexicans feel about Trump's wall? ....we'll get over it."
Headed home. Viva Mexico!
Lou Figueroa
So after the show we're strolling along and come across an open air bar with a karaoke set up in the back and a 9' red clothed pool table in front. I haven't been playing any pool lately, resting up my knee, and Gail says, " Why don't you hit some balls. I'm sure you're dying to and we can have a couple of beers." So I give in. There's a house cue on the table and the balls are in the pockets and it's basically a play for free while you drink sort of thing.
I play for about 15 minutes, getting a feel for the cue and table, and then have had enough. I lay down the cue on the table to join my wife and sip a beer.
Just a few minutes later, a three lady crew comes in and they start to play each other 8ball. Gail and I are sitting ringside and it's pretty clear that the blonde, Penny, can actually play some.
Now, my wife, for all her wonderful qualities, has, from my point of view, one minor flaw: she *loves* situations like this and starts in on me right away, whispering, "Play her. She's the queen bee, beat her." And so on and so forth. Now personally, I don't like playing in bars anymore. Particularly because Gail always wants me to challenge the table and I don't like picking on "civilians." But I give in again, rack the balls, and am about to walk back and take a sip of beer when Sophia, Penny crew member #2, comes up to me, like nose-to-nose, and says, "You lose, you buy us tequila."
Did I mention we're in Mexico?
So, in my very best, most neutral tone -- and despite my natural inclination to flirt with the very attractive Sophia -- (plus the fact that my wife is sitting three feet away), I respond, "And what do I get if I win?" And Sophia says back, "You guys get tequila."
And so we play. Penny breaks, runs a few, misses. I make one, playing tricky two-rail position to set up for a second shot and to break up a cluster, run a couple more, and then take a ball off a side pocket point leaving Penny nothing. She tries a kick shot, misses, and I run out.
Penny demurs on another game and shortly thereafter two shots of tequila arrive at our table and Gail and I do our best to fulfill our diplomatic, American duty in these times of strained relations with our hosting country and shoot the tequilas. Of course, not too long after that, I'm feeling a little bad about stealing so I send over three shots to Penny, from California, Sophia, from Mexico, and Evelyn, from Costa Rica. Then, not too long after that, I suppose in a gesture of goodwill, they sent us two more shots.
I'm guessing you can all figure out where this is going.
After a few more rounds we are toast. The girls want a picture but no one is steady enough to manage a camera but luckily a gentleman on the rail volunteers to document this moment of international pool comraderie. We say "Adios," there are hugs and kisses all around, and Gail and I hail a taxi and somehow make it safe and sound to the condo we've been renting, though we are both paying a steep price today.
BTW, the best line I've heard down here, from a Mexican waiter, was' "You want to know how we Mexicans feel about Trump's wall? ....we'll get over it."
Headed home. Viva Mexico!
Lou Figueroa
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