ironman said:
It has been years since I made a road trip to play pool, but here I go, one more time.
Sones and I are leaving in about 30 minutes if he will get his slow a** in gear. We thought we would update the daly routne and any hahppenings worth mentioning.
A guy has called me and has kept an open invitation to play him some 1-pocket and since I"ve played near everyday for the past 10 days we thought, what the heck, beats yard work.
It feels like a bit of an adventure since I'm about 15 years removed from this sort of thing, but it will be fun and who knows we might even make a fw bucks.
Where are we headed? Well, I could tell you, but then I would have to kill you!
I wish SJD were going and playing instead of me. I hate blaming myself.
Well, the trip is over and I am glad. I had been thinking of doing this for a while and got it out of my system.
I did figure out what I like and don't like about it though. I still love to play and I love the action, but I don't like living in the pool room anymore and I don't like all the haggling and stalling. You know all the BS leading up to the event.
Anyway, Stones and I after talking Saturday night headed out Monday and got ito Oklahona City about 9 pm Monday night. Now in years past I would have cared less about where the motel was at 9 pm and would have found the pool room and gone straight to it. We decided however to go to the room, check i, unload the car and then check it out. That is as far as we got. I hit the pillow watched American Ganster and then lights out until about 8;30 am. Then it was breakfast and out to the pool room.
When we got there, my game was already there and seemed a little evasive with me right from the get go. I've learned a little about patience over the years and just sat back.
We had played before a couple of years ago with me winning about $1200 and he just couldnn't handle it. We have known each other for near 30 years and back before I quit playing in93-94 about all I played was 9 ball and some gold. After moving to San Antonio, you either play 1-pocket or, just don't play. This was hard for him to accept.
Anyway, we are there and I'm ready to go, but he seems to be stalling atound and then tells me he will be ready in about 30 minutes. He then announces that we cn't play even 1-pocket {which is no BIG surprise} but we can play some golf on the snooker table for like $50 and $5.
I played the game a lot in younger years and liked it, but now I havenn't hit a ball on a snooker table since the mid 90's and I'm a little hesitant, but sure I can wear him down. Finally I agree thinking if he gets me stuck I can bow out and switch to 1-pocket or if he gets stuck, I'll offer a game to give him a chance to get even. Idaly, I need to get him stuck and cahsing his money. SO I agree and away we go.
Of course the worst thing that can happen does, I lose the 1st game, but bounce back and win the next 2, with him winning the 4th. Then I get going and win4-5 in a row and start to get him stuck.
Meanwhile Sones doesn't know what to think and is a bit nervous as he doesn't know if I've ever played this game or not, when a guy in his early 30's asks him to play some 9-ball. I nod the look of hell yes and away they go. the did is a bit arrogant and tells Stones he can bet whatever he wants, and they agree on $10 a game. About 30 minutes goes by and he is back sweating my game and I asked what happened and he said he won $40. I remark that parts is parts and he informs me that he got stiffed for $20. I near LMAO! He looked like he had been kicked in the stomach.
Back to the golf game we ended up playing for about 6 hours with me winning about $400. He suddenly quits claiming to have to take care of his dogs and I ask if he wants to play more tomorrow and he says, NO!
Stones and I look at each other and head for the door. We drove 500 miles to play for $50 per game and won $400 and ended up making maybe $50 each. {Stones would have make more if he had grabbed the ticket from that slot which I'm still laughing about}
We got home about 6 in the morning and when I got home, the first thing I did was put my cue in the closet. It looked right sitting there.
Now many know that I married this summer to a beautiful woman named Big Patty. She is just great and is tolerable of my pool dealings and playing without much understanding of it and it's sub-culture. She has though kept me quite busy with domestic chores and yard work which is okay. When I climbed into bed next her and took agood look, it occured to me that I am a very lucky man. I have the best of both worlds.
As I watched her sleep, it hit me like a brick and I thought, "I gotta have some of that". She must be from Oklahoma though. SHe put the STALL on me.
Now I'm back home and if you need to reach me, be patient, I'm doing yard work.
