Lazy Sunday at the Game

It was a quiet summer Sunday so I went to Moms for a very early supper. Afterwards I took up Yeaga Lee’s invitation and went to Game On (Valley Stream). It wasn’t like the rumors had it, weirdo’s, drug users, assholes and idiots…it was the old crowd from the Corner Tavern aka the ‘ancient dive’. It was nice to see souls I hadn’t seen in a long time and the vibe in the place was quite nice, everybody was really easy going digging the sounds from the jukebox.

What was really good to see was Yaega being really free to be herself without the threat of a screwed up owner fucking up her afternoon (i.e. Bossman). Poppy J, boss of the Game, has things in line and his bartenders are very relaxed and make everybody feel welcome. Devilynn and Wouff were in the Game celebrating Devilynn’s birthday, the pool table was free, Big B and Hardy were playing good tunes.

I was missing ERL (he did show up later) he and Evie are having great summer fun. I was in the mood to chill out and the Game was all fun and easy all day and some of the night. Then the parade of faces not seen since the Corner made their way in. Dusty and his four legged buddy showed up as shots started flowing from all directions and at least three teams for eight ball doubles had formed up to shoot.

Demmi was in the bar hanging out, she backed up YaegaLee when the air conditioner had a problem (but it never broke down). Demmi, an old familiar face who has been tending bar for over 25 years, who knew my family and the regulars from a lot of old haunts, made us laugh and smile some. A few ladies showed up two in their twenties one in her mid thirties, letting it all hang nicely on this beautiful summer day. Then I heard that sound, the deep rumbling pipes of the big Yamaha, oh yeah, Biker Bob showed up.

Biker Bob hugged than spanked Yaega Lee because, as he put it, “that ass really needed spanking.” Beer was flowing like a river, the din of conversation from people catching up with each other, the parade of shots and the good tunes made it nice. Then I saw Riff, (a long time regular for over 35 years, a kid from Lawrence with grandkids, I know him and his family since I was seven). I met Riff’s daughter and future son in law, we caught up on everything that was yesterday.

CB (Met Fan’s brother) came in with Hildie (Evie’s former old man) and challenged Yaega and me to a doubles game. CB shoots semi pro pool in Vegas and put a lot of trophies on the wall at the old Corner Tavern when it was ‘Cheers’ and the Beverly. Hildie is a dead shot from the old school who makes what he shoots at and can put on a show when he wants. Yaega walked up to me, hugged me and said “You can do this! Do it for me. DO IT.”

With a bar stick (Wouff and Devilynn brought their own) and Yaega we went up against bar room legends who still had a reputation and a following, ERL always talks about CB and how he ritually takes down his opponents. I broke, had a five ball run, CB did a trick shot, the ball went in and came out of the pocket. The bar fell silent all you could hear was the juke box as all eyes were pasted on the table. Yaega Lee sunk the last two balls and the eight ball.

We couldn’t buy drinks after that. Yaega was feeling no pain and having fun and everybody was in a super cool mood. Like school kids on summer vacation at a neighborhood clubhouse we all had a real good time. It reminded me of the Corner when it was Cheers. It reminded me when hanging out on Sunday was a fun thing. That Sunday, it was yesterday once more.

RJ