He said, pardon me for being so bold, but you've got a cigarette that's already rolled.
I gave him one. He lit it in his own good time.
The smoke in that pool room hung like fog. When he talked, he sounded like a growling dog.
He said, would you care for a dollar on the five and the nine?
Now this man was ugly and his eyes were mean. His clothes were dirty, but his hands were clean.
He held that stick like a mother holds the hand of a child.
Well, I've been known to hustle a few. When the waitress said, is he playing you?
And I said, yeah. Bring me brandy, water by.
Little Red Parker was away in the back taking quarters and handling racks.
And I told him, Red, come up here. Glue them up tight.
That brandy had me feeling warm. I tipped that waitress and I checked her form.
And I said, honey, you like a winner and she's just mine.
I played like a man with a broken wrist. I won two and he won six.
I had him set up, so I said, let's play for five.
By this time, a crowd had gathered around to see this fish and just watch him drown.
So I told that waitress, more brandy, water by.
Then he went out and got a custom cue. He said, it's no offense to you,
but I don't play off the wall with nobody but friends.
It had gold initials and a leather grip, pearl and silver inlaid tip.
He smiled at me and said, why don't we play for ten?
I'd never seen a man that walked who made those balls and table talk.
They're speaking English. He sure didn't need my help.
He broke the balls and kept that string for 187 bucks in the ring
until I gave up and said, friend, you're going to have to play by yourself.
Well, he sacked it up and he walked outside. I strolled out just to watch him ride.
There was a blonde in a caddy built like the rest of that car.
The boys in the pool room, they had him laugh. I hung it up and just let it pass.
Didn't have a thing but my elbows to put on the bar.
And the waitress smiled and said, water by?
I took the charity and I thanked her twice and sitting there sipping when suddenly I had me a thought.
Unlucky gambler and lucky in love.
Guess you know what I was thinking of when I said, waitress, honey, what time do you get off?