So even in my no chalk portions of my fitness program I must include the removal of the chalk from the pocket, bring it to the tip and inspect the tip. Then mime the chalk touch to any shiny spots. Every Time! So easy to just touch the chalk to the tip. It ingrains the timing and tempo for the occasion when I get into "The Zone".
In some ways I feel sorry for the people that haven't ever achieved the third level or highest level known of the zone. Somebody I have been struggling with a bit suggests doubling the bet. "Sure!" It's only money, and it won't be the first time I have lost. I lose a game or two, then win one. Nice break, balls down, and the table is a roadmap. Every break is just like that and I remember it is a minor annoyance having to wait on him racking. I'm aware of everything going on but time is warped a bit. When I fully wake up he has his front pocket inside out shaking the lint loose. "I am done." I flipped him a twenty, "Pleasure playing with you!" As you know, never leave the other player busted. One reason I was known as good action as well as my willingness to go along with most any bet.
Even more fun was hitting the zone with 800HP or more under the hood on a dirt track. Usually have to at least blip the throttle going into a turn, flatfooting five or six laps in a row is awesome. The engine is finding a few more RPM every lap and each lap is a little faster. A white flag whips over my head. Damn it, I am not ready to stop! I debate a full speed victory lap but there is a track full of cars in my way. All I can do is hope for more of the same next week. The track will be different though and the car settings perfect for this week may not even let the car go around the track next week.
I was deep in the zone when I set a record with a pistol that was important to me. No official record with a rifle but I did shoot well under the world record one day. In the zone it was possible to dance with the wind. No thought, no effort, the windflags changed slightly, I adjusted. When things were right it was a lot like tips of english. Ask me how many tips of english I use on a shot and get prepared for a dumb look or I do a few mental calculations in my head, I don't really work in tips of english. It's more like a bunch of left and a little low or high with enough favoring english to whip the ball around the rails.
My explanations of how to shoot balls is a lot like an old Cajun's cook book. He gave nice precise measurements in the recipe but every one of them had a last line, "season to taste"! It wasn't the recipes that made him famous the world over, it was his seasoning to taste!
Hu
One rail to the red stripe 11.