The snooker reached its nadir when Marky shat himself at the Crucible.

“The thing was,” he told us some time later, “they don’t let you out of your seat until the frame has finished. So I’m sitting there in real distress, like. And I’m waiting, desperate to bomb it out of there, like. And…”

We digest the scene as Eddie pots his white.

“It must be your worst nightmare,” chips in Short Tony. “You’re in that state, and you hear the announcer boom out: ‘now, ladies and gentlemen – please welcome Peter Ebdon!'” It is a sobering thought. But tonight we are players, not spectators.

Eddie pots his white again as Marky sips his lager reflectively. This was shortly before he retired from the team, disconsolate at his transformation – solely through his association with us – from being one of the top amateur players on the tough, hard-as-nails Midlands club circuit to a man incapable of constructing a break of more than five points or, indeed, completing a frame without requiring a visit to the toilet.

“We are probably the worst snooker team in the whole of Great Britain,” I think to myself with pride, as Eddie misses the object ball completely. But I do not voice my thoughts out loud for reasons of team morale. You always have to focus on the positives in a team sport situation like this, and Short Tony has gone to the bar, and there is only one more frame before there will be some sandwiches.

Eddie now requires three snookers, yet soldiers on unfazed, despite there being only the pink and black left on the table. It would be good to see an unexpected comeback, but unexpected comebacks are few and far between in our world.

12 thoughts on “Snooker #1.

  1. Sheppitsgal says:

    It is indeed good to see an unexpected comeback.

    More please.

  2. JonnyB says:

    What…?!? I do not know what you are talking about. I only popped out for a bit.

  3. ~~Silk says:

    Welcome back to the club. Pull up a chair, have some peanuts, and tell us what’s been happening in the neighborhood.

  4. Z says:

    I’ve found myself in a winning position, having needed three snookers at the end of a game. Only because I was the second worst player in Norfolk – but I’m out of practice now. I’d now be far worse than Eddie and probably split the baize with my first attempt at a shot.

  5. Ellie says:

    You have been pooing this whole time, haven’t you been?

  6. Oli's Dad says:

    I thought that was one of the best epilogues ever. Pretty good come-back too.
    🙂

  7. JonnyB says:

    Golly! It is really nice and quiet round here… no pressure, or anything. Which is good.

  8. Gordon says:

    Followed a link from Twitter. What is this thing? God, there are so many words!! Is this like Facebook for snooker, or pubs, or weird people?.

    I’m so confused.

  9. Tired Dad says:

    Grand. Welcome back.

  10. JonnyB says:

    We are going backwards, Gordon. I’ll write a few things here, then I’m switching to Ceefax.

  11. It would be good to see an unexpected comeback, but unexpected comebacks are few and far between in our world.

    Totally expected comebacks and over-extended metaphors, on the other hand, are not so hard to find.

    Comfortingly familiar to have you back, Jonny. Not pleasant – just familiar. Like an old coffee table you keep banging your shins on but you’ve had it forever. Or a mole. Yes. Like that.

  12. JonnyB says:

    Ivan!!! *brings out cake*

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