"Sand-bagger" Cane

When I was in high school (well, when I was supposed to be in school) I used to hang out at a bar that had a very lively pool table crowd. During the day, I could ditch school, go there and play to my heart's content, practicing all I wanted, then in the evening play with the patrons there. Often I would play for beer or money, and I won way more often than not. People would come in just to play 'the kid', and the bar owner went along with all of it. It was good for business.

Anyway, one afternoon I was at my usual table, just practicing, and this real old guy came in and wanted to play. Always up for a game, I agreed to a 'just for fun' game, and we started playing 8-ball. After a few games he said he wanted to make it more interesting, and asked if I would be interested in playing for $10. I had just beaten him several times, and I was pretty confident I could beat him again, so I agreed.

I was the one who broke the rack, but I missed a shot. Next thing I know he picks up his cane, pulls off the tip and the handle, and puts a pool cue butt-end where the handle had been. He then proceeded to clean my clock. He ran the table, never missing a shot. He put the 8-ball in one of the side pockets, then took his cue butt-end off, and slipped his tip back onto his cane, and looked at me with one of those grins. You know what kind of grin I'm talking about I put down a ten spot on the table, just shaking my head. My mind was officially blown.

So here I am all these years later, liking the idea of making a cue stick/walking cane. I'm having the urge to find some hot-shot pool playing kid, and sand-bag him into thinking I'm just another old fart wanting to play a friendly game. I would have loved to have seen the look on my own face all those years ago, when that old guy turned his cane into a cue stick, and beat me so easily. I'll have to do this to some kid, so I can see that look on someone else's face.