The Pool Hustler and the Barber

In the small town that was near my home there were two barber shops and two barbers. We would go to which ever one wasn't busy. They both had pool tables but there was always a domino game going on in the front of Mr. Orman's shop while Mr. Bernard had a smaller front, but he had an extra pool table in the back.

One Saturday my brother and I "needed our ears lowered" so we first stopped at Mr. Ormans but all the chairs were full plus there were people waiting and the domino players were also waiting on a cut, so we headed to Mr. Bernard shop down the street. We walked in and Mr. Bernard was finishing one man up and he would start on us. Dad told him he was going to the hardware store across the street, then he told us that was where he would be when we got finished.

The whole time he was finishing up the person in the chair he was watching the game at the back table. That was the table that a little "under the table gambling" would go on. Mr. Bernard wouldn't say anything unless the players would get a little rowdy, which they did on occasion. This particular day there was a pool hustler in town, and he was taking all the money from the locals.

Mr. Bernard asked if our dad was in a hurry, and we told him "No" and that he was drinking coffee and talking, and our next question was "Why?". He said he needed to go and teach someone a lesson in shooting pool.

The story around town was that Mr. Bernard used to be a pretty good pool hustler and he quit when he got married and opened up a barber shop. Since Mr. Ormans shop had pool tables, he bought one just to help with keeping busy while waiting on the next customer. Over the years he would add three other tables.

Kids our age were not allowed in the back, but we could sit in the chairs at the door and watch. The stranger saw Mr. Bernard headed to the back and told him "I was wondering when you were going to make time for me". Mr. Bernard told him "This won't take but a minute". Some of the locals saw my brother and I sitting at the door and knew something was going on in the back, so they started easing in. The story was each player would put up $500 which was a lot of money in the 60’s and the winner of the best of three games of 9 ball took the money. The stranger made a big mistake. Mr. Bernard asked him if he wanted to flip a coin or lag for first break. The man told him he would be nice and let Mr. Bernard have first break. I could see the smile on Mr. Bernard's face. He ran the table twice picked up the 10 $100 bills looked at my brother and me and said, "Who's first". This was a different time and place. The man didn't get mad, stomp his feet and start cussing. He gathered up his things and said to Mr. Bernard, "I will see you again" and the response was "You know where I will be".

My dad came in and ask Mr. Bernard about all the people coming out of the shop and he told him "A young man needed a quick lesson in 9 Ball."