A Boldbrush Contest Fav15 Feb 2020
Back when I was younger, I was fritterin’ at the local pool hall, just fritterin’ right here in River City, just fritterin’ away, playing pool. Well, after a few games, in walks Minnesota Fats! The best pool player ever (according to Minnesota Fats) “OMG, That’s Minnesota Fats.“ I thought!
Then, right behind him, in walks Fast Eddie, the second best pool player ever (according to Minnesota Fats)!
I must have been about 20 years old at the time. I thought about asking one of them for a game but that was a ridiculous idea. I played pool but very badly. Plus it looked like they were setting up to play together. I had to see this!
They played 3 games and it was fascinating watching them. Fast Eddie won 2 of 3.
After they played, Minnesota Fats came over and asked if I wanted to play!
I said “I’m no good, so no thank you.”
He said, “I’ll let you take 4 shots to my one! And drinks are on me.”
That was an offer I couldn’t refuse! Could I really have a chance to say that I once beat Minnesota Fats?
So I go first and I’m on my 3rd shot - hadn’t gotten a ball in yet. And then it happened. I had a nice straight shot with the cue ball next to the 4 ball lined up perfectly with the corner pocket. I hit the cue ball, but couldn’t get the stick out of the way fast enough, and it was a double hit. (That means my cue stick hit the cue ball twice = foul = bad)
The 4 ball and the cue ball travelled the length of the table, one after the other like a duckling scurrying after its mother duck crossing the road - 4 ball in the corner pocket - immediately followed by the cue ball in the corner pocket.
Scratch and Foul! Game over! I lost without pocketing a single ball (legally). We dropped our cue sticks on the table and I took a photo, and so here is “Scratch and Foul.” Thanks, Minn, (that’s what I call him) for the game.
- Subject Matter: Still life
- Collections: Bold, Shadow and Light, Still Life