Eight on the Break

The preliminaries were over; they’d wished each other luck. The loser of the toss tried to make a tight rack out of the fifteen numbered and colored balls that are used in the game of eight-ball, a courtesy and a sign of good sportsmanship and because the eight ball doesn't move much on the break. A loose rack invariably yields the undesirable result of the eight ball moving across the table.

Our hero set the cue ball about a half inch from the rail, just behind the second diamond on the left side of the kitchen, that area on the table from which the break has to be made. The game was about to be on.

Taking the break stick in hand, he slid it through his fingers a time or two to make sure it wasn’t the least bit sticky, set his bridge hand on the rail, put the tip of the stick to about four o’clock on the cue ball, and took a couple of preliminary strokes without hitting it. Then slowly and deliberately he concentrated his gaze on the second ball in the rack, the left one of the two balls behind the apex, drew back the stick and sent the cue ball to that ball with all the force he could muster.

A split second later the racked balls exploded, balls going in all directions. He looked at the roiling chaos and the black eight ball caught his eye as it rolled slowly toward the side pocket on the right and fell in!

Eight on the break! His team cheered loudly at this combination of skill and luck that occurs only once in a while. Score, one game to nil, rack them for the second game. The excitement subsided and it was time to concentrate on the next break.

The same scenario was repeated but this time the eight ball hardly moved from its position at the interior center of the rack. Seven shots later his opponent sank the eight ball making it one game each.

Our hero won the match after another four games transpired. His opponent left himself an impossible shot which allowed our hero to place the ball anywhere on the table and go out.

Happy Haiku Birthday Maggie

Have a big cigar
My little girl born today
Help me celebrate

So it was back then
In the shipyard drawing room
While you were with mom

Now you are out there
We are here in Kentucky
Still our little girl

Happy o Birthday
Give yourself a break today
Enjoy come what may.

Alice Le Cheval

J’ai beaucoup de memoires affectueusement pour les chevaux ces je montais dans les compétitions et un cheval en particulier que je montais souvent.

Elle s’appelait Alice et c’était une grande jument. Alice était blonde avec la criniére blanche et la queue blanche et des très grands sabots. Elle avait haute de seize mains au garrot, approximativement une mètre soixante centimètres. Je la montais avec un petit escabeau. Cet n’était pas autrement possible pour moi.
 
C’était une belle jument que j’aimais. Et elle m’amait aussi, si un cheval pourrait aimer. Toutes les fois j’entrais le pâturage et je sifflais doucement, elle élevait sa grande tête et elle dressait ses oreilles. Seulement pour moi parce-que au début je lui donnais toujours des carottes. Ensuite il ne fallait pas que je les lui donne, elle me reconnaissait par le sifflement. J’étais la seule personne qui l’approchait de cette façon.

Je découvrais tôt qu’elle était terrifiée par le fouet. Un fois, dans une grande competition à travers champs, elle a ralenti et je lui ai simplement montré le fouet, immédiatement elle a couru plus vite. Nous avons fini le cours en bon temps et je ne l’ai jamais frappé avec le fouet, pas une fois. Si je la frappe, elle deviendrait folle et courrait follement.

Un jour, je suis allé voir Alice et le chef de l’écurie m’a dit Alice est morte. J’ai senti une perte terrible. Alors j’ai rencontré Maggie, une autre jument. Elle était grise, seize mains aussi et une bonne sauteuse. Je n’ai pas oublié Alice mais il fallait que la vie commence. Avec Maggie, nous avons gagné le ruban bleu de la competition, mais Alice a gagné le ruban bleu de mon cœur.

Fin

Memorial

Do you remember
Old whatsizname?


What did he say?
What did he do?


He played
He repaid

He never said he'd either
But he did
He was there
Reliably


Didn't say much
Didn't have to
Talked about the weather
And how good it is

Turned the questions back
Fine, how are you?


Some talk a good game, and
The older they get the better they were


He didn't say, he did