All other pool playing was suspended until Roger and Jessie played. It had long been argued which one of the two was the best. But the two had never played each other until that day.
Everyone made sure they had enough to drink for no one dared to miss what was about to take place. Brad and Abby were pouring the drinks and collecting money as fast as they could.
Someone yelled at Brad, “We need a coin toss.”
Brad stopped serving drinks, so he could do the coin toss between Roger and Jessie.
Since Jessie was the visitor, he got to call it in the air. Brad took his lucky silver dollar from his pocket and flipped it in the air.
Jessie called, “Heads, because I’m going to win.”
The coin bounced on the pool table’s felt to where it finally landed heads up.
Roger racked the balls as tight as he could.
Jessie pulled his cue stick from the case and assembled it. Taking the chalk from his pocket, he twisted it three times on the stick’s tip. He then set the cue ball just a little left of center.
“Call pocket, last ball eight ball.” Jessie said.
Roger nodded.
Crack! The cue ball struck the racked targets, sending them in every direction imaginable. The two, nine and six fell.
Jessie walked around the table. His eyes scanned over the table for what would be his next shot. Since two little ones fell, he called for the one ball in the side pocket. It fell with little effort.
The three, five, and seven surrendered in the next three shots. It looked like Jessie was going to run the table.
Now Jessie had to navigate the cure ball around Roger’s big ones to hit the four. Jessie called, “Cue ball off the rail to the four into the corner.” The four ball came off the rail but hit the eleven, resting beside the corner pocket.
Roger approached the table. He knew he had to make all of his remaining six balls or Jessie would win. Roger sunk the fourteen, fifteen, and eleven. All straight in shots.
Now the cue ball rested against the end rail. Roger didn’t have a clear shot for the ten, twelve or thirteen. He dropped the ten with a bank into a corner pocket.
Everyone in The Watering Hole, who had bet on Roger, was getting ready to collect their money.
Roger called, “Two banks to put twelve in the far-right corner.” Like Efren “Beta” Reyes aka The Magician, the twelve ball fell in the called corner pocket. Leaving the thirteen-ball sitting near Jessie’s four.
The eight-ball sat between the cue and thirteen ball.
Roger pressed his lips together and called. “Two banks and the thirteen in the side.” The thirteen hit the outer edge of the side pocket and stopped.
Now Jessie was left with the four and the eight ball to win the game. He confidently called, “The four ball, two rails and the side pocket.” The same side pocket that Roger’s thirteen ball sat next to.
Jessie’s four ball hit Roger’s thirteen, knocking it down toward the corner pocket. Leaving his four-ball resting between the cue ball and Roger’s thirteen.
Roger took a deep breath and chalks up his stick. He walked over, put white chalk on the web of his left hand between thumb and forefinger.
Roger called. “Three rails and corner pocket.”
By this time, everyone in the bar had their eyes frozen on Jessie’s and Roger’s table. Roger had been known to make such a shot before, but never under the pressure of a tournament.
The cue ball went to the side rail, bounced off to the end rail and headed straight for the thirteen. The thirteen got hit and slowly but confidently rolled into the corner pocket.
Now the eight remained six inches from the same corner pocket. Roger dared not miss this shot because Jessie would be in a position to win.
Roger called out for everyone to hear, “Eight ball that corner pocket; one rail.” He points at the pocket where the thirteen fell.
Roger goes to the bar and finishes his vodka and orange juice. He chalks his cue stick. All the while taking his time. Finally, he takes position, aligns the cue stick with the cue ball. In his mind’s eye, he aligns the cue ball with the eight ball.
With one quick forceful strike, the cue ball hits the eight. The eight goes in and off the side rail, heading straight for the corner pocket.
Everyone held their drinks in silence. Even the jukebox stopped playing.
The eight rolled toward the corner pocket like it belonged there. It dropped, and the crowd cheered.
Jessie gripped Roger’s hand and said, “Good game.”
