Who wants a game?

Poolhall quickie

I was sitting at the bar, half drunk, half tired.  Pool balls cracked behind me.  I sat, thought, and drank. 

“Who wants a game, doesn’t anyone in the pool hall play pool?”

I had heard the guy talking but up to now had turned an ear.

He was too drunk to stand, leaned against the table, waiting for a response.  None came. 

“A free game to anyone who wants it, all I want is a damn game.  One game, this is a poolhall, lets play pool.”

I was too tired to move but I did anyway.  I wanted the guy to shut up.  It took a few minutes to build energy and I slid off the stool.

“Come on I’ll play anyone, $20 a rack”

I didn’t have twenty just a big tab at the bar and no way to pay it.  Its okay they know me here.

“I’ll play, you break”

“Finally, someone not too chickenshit to play a game of pool in POOLHALL!”

He laid the $20 on the table and grabbed his stick.

“I’ll break, you watch and learn.”

He broke and scratched.

I stepped to the table, shot and missed, looked at the guy asleep in a chair.  I put the cue on table, grabbed the $20, and walked out the door to fall asleep in my car.