A new challenge, from the Lutheran Community, Arlington Heights, to compete playing eight-ball pocket billiards, home and away, was accepted. The new challenge reminded us of their first challenge a year ago. The Garlands had no team when the challenge arrived, but we accepted it at once. Our Director of Activities, Jill Lund, talked up the challenge and convinced eight of our braver men to volunteer for the battle. They practiced on occasion, but not seriously--maybe they were concentrating more on the bus ride and free lunch.

Excitement and optimism was high as the Garlands bus stopped at Lutheran Community. That's when our optimism was shaken because a dozen men greeted us, each wearing a green polo shirt with their team name printed on the front, and most of them carried their own private cue-stick in a dark leather case. These men were like professional billiard players not simple retirees. We lost five games to three there but then they came to the Garlands and destroyed us seven games to one. Later, the code expression W.C. (Who Cares) eased the temporary embarrassment of our team.

History has a way of repeating itself. This year we tried again and proudly went off to battle the Lutherans wearing our new colorful blue monogrammed game-shirts loaned to each Garlands player for the billiard tournament by our activities group. I couldn't tell whether our new flashy shirts impressed our opposition but I can tell you that their private cue sticks still bothered us because they looked so professional. They won at their home again, five games to three--we almost tied four games to four but scratched sinking the eight ball, an automatic loss.

Our active retirement community still doesn’t have an official team, but many of us actually practiced for the return match. Spirited and optimistic, our men could hardly wait for lunch to finish, in order to beat our friendly adversaries. We played 16 games, alas, they won 12 games to four. It was interesting to note that one of our two-man teams won three out of four games and that team practiced regularly. That must be the key--practice. Our billiard team has adopted the Chicago well-known sports lament--Wait 'till next year.

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