by Leigh Goessl

Created on: April 17, 2008   Last Updated: April 18, 2008

Playing pool is a lot of fun, especially when you aren't very good at it.

A few years back a friend of mine and I went to a local billiards hall, had a drink and then ventured off hit the tables. Each of us showed an aura of confidence in our abilities to play pool; I know strutted right up to that pool table with an air of feeling like I knew what I was doing. Hah!

After all, I'd played pool lots of times when I was younger and never seemed to have a problem whacking, I mean tapping, the ball and getting it to go in the proverbial pocket. My brothers and I used to play at my grandparents all the time, and I have some pretty fond memories of being able to aim and tap that ball in the direction it was supposed to go and right into the pocket.

Boy, my memory of my former pool playing must have been pretty shoddy because as I bent over with my pool stick, cued and engaged in effectively lining up my shot, I missed the darn thing! Not only did I scuff the table, but I looked at the ball, and out of the corner of my eye I noticed how it possessed a patronizing and knowing look as it gazed back at me. Suddenly the realization hit, that darned thing was onto me! That ball knew I couldn't play. Then I looked over at my friend, who was undoubtedly quietly giggling to himself, but didn't say a word.

Next, my friend goes and taps that smug little ball in the right direction almost making his shot on the first try. Bugger, look at him showing me up! Second shot the ball jump right on in. Oh sure, I think to myself "this ball is obviously playing favorites". As I wait impatiently during several shots, my turn finally arrives. "Hmmph" I thought to myself, I'll show them both.

Mustering up my demeanor to come across as a pool player who possessed all the confidence in the world, I strut back up and attempt my next shot. I get set, aim and fire; I tapped that little self-righteous ball. To my delight, I didn't miss this time, I hit that ball and hit it good! In my elation, I neglected to look to see which pocket I'd made (of course I'd made the shot, I think to myself "See I knew I could play").

Suddenly I hear some commotion and pull myself out of my giddy moment to see what in the world was going on, and then I saw where my ball had gone . . . oh it went all right, bounced clear off our pool table, onto the floor, took a flying leap and then sailed right onto another table and landed right in the middle of someone else's game.

I managed to pull myself together, walk over, politely apologize, collect that little smug ball and embarrassedly head back to my table. My friend was in hysterics by this time and even I had to admit it was pretty funny. We managed to finish the game without further incident, but I will never forget that experience. The night was a lot of fun, and the game was too. Reflecting back, the one thing which would have been a perfect moment was if the ball had made it into one of the other table's pockets.

These days I've retired my pool stick and decided to stick to something I understand far better and possess more skill at - miniature golf; definitely more my speed.

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