Combo or Carom?

At last night's nine-ball tournament,
the good news is that I won a couple of matches,
one of which was against an A+ player.
The bad news is that I lost two matches,
and in double-elimination format,
that's all you get...

The ugliest part of the night was my last shot.
I missed an easy 7-9 combination for the win
because I chose to shoot it as a carom.
It was a stupid thing to do (in retrospect)
because the carom was impossibly thin.
Why did I choose to play it as a carom?
Because the combination reminded me
of a much more difficult 2-9 combo that
I missed in another recent match with DC
that cost me the game/match.
There was fear in my heart,
and what can be expected of a fearful shot?

When I missed the shot,
I left an even easier combo,
so easy a child could make it.
In fact, a child did make it.
My opponent was very young,
(a level "C" player).

Isn't there a curfew for kids today?
Do his parents know he shooting pool
and terrorizing adults
so late at night?

My ignominious defeat,
due to my own stupidity, and
at the hands of a child,
was made even more humiliating
because El Maestro was watching in total disbelief.

Needless to say, I endured much ribbing for it.
So why do I bring more shame on myself
by going public with my stupidity?
To burn this moment, and this shot,
into my memory so it never happens again.

To me, or to you!

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