Take The Shot

Contributed by on 01/07/09
He knew he’d been hustled, and yet he continued to cling on to the hope that his own skills would be enough to win back the money he’d lost. After all, he really needed that money, he’d had a whole romantic evening with his girlfriend planned, and he’d foolishly thought that he could quickly double that money, and treat her to an even more special evening, by playing a few quick games of pool with this idiot.
He’d been sucked in, and he felt a fool, but he was determined to turn things around. It had worked, up to a point, he had the guy on the ropes, and everything now rested on this final eight ball. Double or quits, that’s what he’d said, but all he’d had to put up was the ring.
See, that was going to be the finale to his romantic evening. The ultimate gamble, if you will, risking his heart by making that big commitment to love her forever. Now it all rested on this one shot, if he didn’t make it, he wouldn’t be able to afford to take her out, and he wouldn’t even have the ring.
Sure, the ring was nothing special, it hadn’t cost a lot, but it was all he could afford, and it wasn’t the cost of it that mattered, it was what it represented. He’d finally found “the one” and he was willing to risk all for her. This, you know, just made him feel even more stupid for getting himself into a position where he might have gambled it all away. Sometimes life was like that though, one minute you held everything in the palm of your hand, the key to all your future happiness, and the next moment, one simple, stupid decision could take it all away from you.
He lined up the shot, knowing that far more than money rested on the outcome. He looked down the cue at the eight ball, but all he saw was his future. He took a deep breath and held it, and then he took the shot.

He knew he’d been hustled, and yet he continued to cling on to the hope that his own skills would be enough to win back the money he’d lost. After all, he really needed that money, he’d had a whole romantic evening with his girlfriend planned, and he’d foolishly thought that he could quickly double that money, and treat her to an even more special evening, by playing a few quick games of pool with this idiot.

He’d been sucked in, and he felt a fool, but he was determined to turn things around. It had worked, up to a point, he had the guy on the ropes, and everything now rested on this final eight ball. Double or quits, that’s what he’d said, but all he’d had to put up was the ring.

See, that was going to be the finale to his romantic evening. The ultimate gamble, if you will, risking his heart by making that big commitment to love her forever. Now it all rested on this one shot, if he didn’t make it, he wouldn’t be able to afford to take her out, and he wouldn’t even have the ring.

Sure, the ring was nothing special, it hadn’t cost a lot, but it was all he could afford, and it wasn’t the cost of it that mattered, it was what it represented. He’d finally found “the one” and he was willing to risk all for her. This, you know, just made him feel even more stupid for getting himself into a position where he might have gambled it all away. Sometimes life was like that though, one minute you held everything in the palm of your hand, the key to all your future happiness, and the next moment, one simple, stupid decision could take it all away from you.

He lined up the shot, knowing that far more than money rested on the outcome. He looked down the cue at the eight ball, but all he saw was his future. He took a deep breath and held it, and then he took the shot.

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2 comments so far
  1. 2/07/09 1:38
    Rivka Jacobs

    Oh, very good. Nice use of all elements of the picture. But I really like the analogy between taking the risk to love someone, to take a big gamble and a big step in a relationship, and that last shot in a game of billiards.

    The reader can decide what happens next. (I say, he sinks that 8-ball and the cue-ball just drifts by the pocket, stopping short of falling in.)

    Reply
  2. 2/07/09 1:41
    iansharman

    I’m glad you saw the subtext and didn’t just take it at face value.

    Reply
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